Residents want removal of weak tree from Madipakkam road

CHENNAI: Residents in Madipakkam fear lurking danger and asked the Greater Chennai Corporation to remove a dead tree from a street before it falls on somebody during rainy season.

GM Shankar, a social activist in Madipakkam, said that the tree is not a native species and it is in weaker condition. "Despite repeated intimations to the Chennai Corporation officials, they are delaying to remove the tree. The officials would act only after any untoward incident occur," he said.

The tree is located near Ponniamman Koil bus stand on Velachery Main Road in Madipakkam.

Apart from raising the issue over the phone to the local officials, Shankar also filed a complaint through Namma Chennai application.

"However, officials in ward 188 forwarded the complaint to Park Overseer of Perungudi zone. There is no reply from the zonal office till Monday evening," he pointed out.

After waiting for a week for action, the activist condemned officials for not taking timely action to remove the branches of the tree and requested them to remove the tree immediately through the application.

As per the Chennai Corporation rules, residents can not prune or remove trees or branches on the roads without permission of the civic body even though the trees are in weaker condition.

It may be recalled that a woman died in KK Nagar after a tree fell on a moving car a weeks ago. Following the incident, the civic body carried out a drive to remove trees from stormwater drain construction sites. Apart from this, the civic body would survey the city identify weak trees and branches before monsoon. Shankar urged the civic body to include the tree under weak tree category.

When asked, a Chennai Corporation official assured to take action before the rains.