Mindless concretisation around trees could lead to more accidents, say experts

The huge peepal tree that came down at the Cunningham Road-Millers Road junction leaving an 18-year-old boy critically injured has raised concern over pedestrian safety in the city. Experts opined that some of the unscientific work taken up by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) may result in many more such incidents in the coming days.

Experts said that concretisation around the tree roots was the major cause of such accidents and BBMP has conveniently turned a blind eye to this problem. “We have alerted the officials time and again on the impact of concretisation around the trees but they have ignored it. With weak and damage roots, it is obvious that the tree will not survive for too long and could come crashing down,” said Vijay Nishanth, an urban conservationist. 

Noted environmentalist Dr A N Yellappa Reddy pointed out that the civic body also cuts down the roots while taking up development works and does little to treat the damaged roots. “They cut down the roots to make way for sewage lines and pour concrete around the tree. Every time the roots are cut, they have to be smeared with an antifungal solution to prevent infections. But, nothing is being done. The concrete results in root dehydration and eventually causes accidents,” he explained.

Also Read | Youth critically injured as giant tree collapses in Bengaluru

Sources in BBMP revealed that the tree that came down on Friday was rotten from the inside, owing to an infection, clearly indicating that the roots were damaged. 

Nishanth added that the BBMP has limited itself to tree pruning and has failed to keep track of tree health. “It is not easy to determine if a tree is healthy just by looking at it. Officials have to observe the tree for a few days and then determine if it is healthy,” he said.

Yellappa Reddy also suggested that there is a need for an urban tree management system in the city. “The BBMP should immediately take up a tree census and record the health of every tree. Also, while taking up a road infrastructure project, the BBMP should consult a tree expert and at least 2 per cent of the cost should be dedicated to ensuring the trees on the stretch are strengthened,” he said.

BBMP Special Commissioner (Forests) Preeti Gehlot said that the civic body regularly identifies weak trees and branches to prevent accidents. “It is difficult to ascertain which tree could come down. We conduct regular inspections to identify dead and dangerous trees. Concretisation is a broader issue and we are yet to see if that caused the incident,” she said.