BMC did not act on tree complaint: Residents

Horticulture assistant may be suspended after Malad tree fall death, say officials.

The BMC is considering action towards one in all its horticulture assistants following the death of a Malad resident in a tree fall accident. Shailesh Rathod, 38, was on his solution to a temple on Friday morning when a branch of a gulmohar tree fell on him.

Local residents have said they twice complained to the BMC that the trees along the street where the incident took place had been bad and wanted trimming. However, the BMC allegedly sat at the grievance.

A senior lawn division legit on Monday said an investigation was underway and the P-North Ward’s horticulture assistant was likely to be suspended.

“We are still waiting for a detailed record from the ward. Once we get it, we can take action as per process,” said Jitendra Pardeshi, BMC’s Superintendent of Gardens.

“The residents had written to the BMC’s P-North Ward twice in May 2017 and on April 24, 2014. The letters points out that the tree is in bad condition and needs to be trimmed right away. They say the tree may just pose risk to existence. Despite the letter, the BMC took no action. Stern action will have to be taken towards the involved officials. Their negligence has price one existence,” said native Congress legislator Aslam Shaikh.

Congress MLA Aslam Shaikh with victim’s circle of relatives

Shaikh visited the bereaved circle of relatives on Monday. Rathod is survived via his parents, wife and two daughters. He worked for a private company in Bandra Kurla Complex. “He was the only bread winner within the circle of relatives. His parents are previous and live to tell the tale rent. We have given the circle of relatives a direct aid of Rs 2 lakh from our funds. But for the reason that death was caused due to negligence, the BMC will have to compensate the circle of relatives,” Shaikh said, including that he would soak up the problem within the ongoing monsoon consultation of the legislature.

The incident took place round 6.30am, at the Nadiadwala Colony Road, off SV Road. Rathod’s relations said he visited the close by Jain temple every morning together with his father.

The monsoon has just begun and already 5 people had been killed via falling trees/branches. The BMC said it had trimmed or pruned all bad trees across the city.

There are 1.85 lakh trees on roadsides as per the latest tree census. Of those, the BMC has trimmed 97,000. Additionally, officials say BMC contractors have also pruned 1,814 trees that had been leaning onto roads from private premises.

Assistant Municipal Commissioner of P-North Ward, Sanjog Kabre, said they trimmed all trees within the space after Friday’s incident. “If there have been any specific lawsuits about trees and trimming wasn’t carried out, then action shall be taken. We are advised that trees in that locality had been trimmed previous this year but a detailed probe via the Garden Department will reveal the precise sequence of occasions,” he said.

The tree has now been trimmed