SHILLONG: Following the tragic incident of uprooting of a tree near Raj Bhawan in the city which led to death of three persons on Saturday last, the state forest department has now expedited the whole process of trimming and chopping vulnerable and weak trees in the capital city and its outskirts posing threat to life.
Speaking to The Shillong Times on Monday, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, CP Marak said that the department before the incident last week had started identifying the weak trees in and around the city and has identified around 80 such trees where either branches have to be trimmed or the whole have to be cut down.
Terming the recent incident as tragic, he said that teams of forest personnel are already on the ground to cut down trees which are considered as a threat to human lives.
The official, however, refused to comment anything when asked about possibility of compensation for the victims of Saturday’s tragic incident from the Forest department.
On the other hand, Forest and Environment Minister, Clement Marak said that the department would create awareness among the people to intimate the department immediately as soon as they notice presence of such trees that pose a risk for the people.
He added that the personnel of the department had been asked to cut down or prune all the risky trees in the city and its surroundings at the earliest.
Meanwhile, the All India Radio junction in the city where the massive tree was uprooted on Saturday evening was finally cleared on Monday evening after personnel of the forest department took two days to clear the debris and open it for traffic.
