Shimla Mayor urges govt to simplify approval process for felling dangerous trees amid heavy rainfall
Shimla, August 1
Heavy rainfall continued to disrupt normal life in Himachal Pradesh's capital on Saturday, with trees uprooted at two locations in Shimla city, prompting renewed concerns over the threat posed by hazardous trees during the ongoing monsoon season.
Speaking to ANI, Shimla Mayor Surinder Chauhan said the trees collapsed suddenly despite appearing healthy from the outside and called for emergency powers to allow local authorities to remove dangerous trees before they cause accidents.
"Today we witnessed two trees falling suddenly. It was shocking because they appeared healthy, but such incidents highlight the need to identify and remove hazardous trees before they collapse," Chauhan said.
The mayor said there had been no loss of life or property in the incidents and that civic authorities had cleared the fallen trees and restored the affected roads.
He, however, said the existing approval process for felling dangerous trees was too time-consuming, delaying preventive action.
"The present procedure is very lengthy. Permissions have to pass through multiple departments and committees. During the monsoon, such delays can prove dangerous. The government should empower local authorities to remove hazardous trees in emergency situations," Chauhan said.
He urged the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) and the Forest Department to act proactively by identifying and removing dry and vulnerable trees, particularly during the rainy season.
"We request the government to grant emergency powers so that dangerous trees can be removed immediately instead of waiting for lengthy approvals. This will help prevent accidents and provide timely relief to the public," he added.
The incidents came as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) projected continued monsoon activity during August. According to the IMD's latest seasonal outlook issued on August 1, rainfall is expected to remain above normal in parts of Chamba district and adjoining Lahaul areas during the month, while most other parts of Himachal Pradesh are likely to receive below-normal rainfall.
— ANI
Reader Comments
The Mayor is right but do we really want to give more powers to municipalities? They might misuse it and cut healthy trees for construction projects. Need a balanced approach with proper checks in place. Just saying!
This is the reality of living in hilly areas. I used to live in Shimla and every monsoon there are tree falls. Anyway, good that they cleared the roads quickly and no one was hurt. But prevention is better than cure. The government should listen to the Mayor. 💯
Sensible suggestion, hopefully they act on it soon. These long approval processes only look good on paper, but monsoon doesn't wait. At least the Mayor is proactive instead of just making promises. 👏
I understand the concern, but we also have to think about the ecosystem. Trees are being cut everywhere and that contributes to climate change and unstable soil. Instead of just cutting trees, maybe the authorities should also focus on better planning and infrastructure for hilly areas.
Shifting the blame to slow government processes is easy, but aren't we the same people who cry when old trees are cut for development? Anyways, the Mayor's point makes sense. We need a proper hazardous tree mapping system before disaster strikes, not after.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.