101 trees in Shimla caught in SMC, Forest Dept tussle

The 101 trees in Shimla termed dangerous to public life are lying neglected

Updated At : 05:04 PM Nov 30, 2014 IST

Trees pose a threat to buildings in Shimla. Photo: Amit Kanwar

Kuldeep Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 30

The 101 trees in Shimla, termed "dangerous to public life" are lying neglected.

The management of the trees is with the Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC), which has no staff. The staff of the Urban Forest Department, to which the forests have been transferred, has been transferred or is busy in the Tara Devi tree felling episode.

The "dangerous trees" hogged the limelight when the High Court rejected the plea of the Cabinet sub-committee to cut these down and directed the Forest Department and the SMC Tree Committee, chaired by the Shimla Mayor, to count and mark each and every such tree in the city and file an affidavit in the court.

“We have started the exercise, taking compliance of the High Court order, but staff remains unavailable and we hope the counting starts tomorrow,” said Sanjay Chauhan, Shimla Mayor.

“The urban forest was transferred to the Forest Department from SMC in 2013, but its management remains with the SMC as per the Municipal Act, which is creating hurdles as the corporation has no staff to do the job,” he added.

As many as five big deodar trees, along the boundary wall of the state Lokauyukta office, fell on a portion of the PWD rest house on July 28 and damaged the building and transmission line and blocked the road, about 15 yards behind the premises of the Raj Bhawan.

Though the state Cabinet okayed the decision to cut all the 101 dangerous trees identified by the Forest Department, the tree committee of the SMC has not given its nod to cut them.

The Forest Department and the SMC are locked in a tussle over the possession of the city forest. “The House has passed a resolution seeking transfer of the urban forest back to the corporation for better and safe management,” said Chauhan.

No trees can be cut in the green belt of the city but a benami owner cut 32 trees on a plot in Benmore ward in the no-construction zone of the city but no FIR had been lodged so far, Chauhan added. “We have taken up the matter with the Forest Department again as it is a serious matter,” he added.

On the other hand, the forest officials said they have joined inspection as directed by the High Court. Most of the dangerous trees are located on government land, they said. The officials remained tightlipped on the Benmore tree felling case.