JOAO SOUSA M |NT
NAVELIM: While authorities are busy cutting down hundreds of trees as a part of the preparation for the forthcoming BRICS summit, several dead trees along the National Highway 17 (NH17) continue to pose threat to the lives of motorists.
Dramapur-Sirlim village has the highest number of dead trees along the national highway.
Dramapur sarpanch Edcy Fernandes informed that around two or three years back, the PWD had cut the branches of trees along the national highway, and the panchayat had written to the PWD to cut down the trees that are posing a threat, however, the department has failed to act over it so far.
A highly placed PWD source has pleaded helplessness as the department has to undergo a long and tedious procedure to cut the dead trees. There have been over 40 incidents of trees falling on the national highway during the last two years.
Local residents informed that the dead trees along the roadside are more than two years old and some of the trees are leaning over the electricity lines on the national highway which could pose a threat to the motorists, and yet the authorities have turned a blind eye to it.
The PWD official informed there were directions to cut all trees leaning over the national highway, however, the department is facing a lot of obstacles from the forest department.
He said that even to cut the dead trees the department has to follow a long and cumbersome procedure.
Savio D’Souza said that the government has shown no mercy in cutting down hundreds of trees as a part of the preparation for the BRICS summit but failed to address the issue which needs immediate attention – the dead trees can come crashing down any moment on the national highway.
Former Dramapur sarpanch Dominic Noronha said that the government should not wake up only when there is an international event but should maintain the national highways throughout the year. Noronha said that the dead trees are endangering human life and should have been cut many years ago, however, the government is more concerned about pleasing the foreign delegates rather than the safety of its own people.