Tree that moved many hearts

Tree that moved many hearts
Deccan Herald

For a change, it was not Green activists who were shedding tears over an uprooted tree. The kith and kin, friends and a section of people, who were witness to Monday’s BMTC Volvo bus tragedy, were in mourning when the ‘Rain tree’, which saved at least 30 lives in the accident, was chopped and carted away.

Bangalore's popular Rain tree (Male Mara), which stood tall adjacent to the HAL Helicopter Division near BMTC bus shelter, became a martyr for the HAL employees and some residents of the Marathahalli area.

On Tuesday, many mourners were seen at the spot when the tree which was uprooted due to the impact of the accident, was being cleared.


Many deaths have, indeed, been caused by motorists ramming into highway trees. But this Rain tree, whose timber is normally used for packaging and fire wood, has undoubtedly played a 'saviour' role.

Mandanna, an eye witness showered praise and thanked the tree for saving many of his colleagues, mostly women, and other public who were at the bus shelter.

Talking to Deccan Herald he said, "Thanks a ton to this tree. If not for this tree, the death toll would have gone up by another 30 plus. The bus rammed into the tree and the saviour Rain tree took most of the impact. The vehicle slowed down after hitting the tree and then hit the bus shelter.”

Many were almost in tears when the 30 plus-year-old tree was cut into pieces and dumped into the BMP van. Rajan and his niece Amrutha were staring at the broken branches and after a while, both went up to the remains of the tree and kissed its roots.

For it saved Amrutha's mother. “She was standing at the other corner of the bus shelter, at the time of the accident.” Rajan said.

Deputy Conservator of Forest of BMP, Krishna Udapudi was all praise for the tree saying, "I visited the spot and was touched seeing 85 per cent of the tree being uprooted. We were forced to remove the remains of the tree. Anyway, its a lesson for the GenX to plant more trees as it comes handy not just in saving environment but also human lives.”According to the aerial photography survey report, 2004, Bangalore city has a crown cover of 40 per cent (green cover). Udapudi added.

SPEED BREAKERS

A day after a BMTC Volvo bus ran amok and killed two people on Airport Road, traffic police swung into action on Wednesday and put up two speed-breakers in front of the Helicopter Division of Hindustan Aeronautics, the site of the mishap. The speed-breakers have been put on either side of the main gate of the Helicopter Division.