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Pune residents see red over trimmed branches strewn on footpaths, roads
Residents of Magarpatta city in Pune are miffed with PMC garden department for leaving trimmed branches of trees on footpaths and roads blocking view and posing hurdles while walking
PUNE: The residents of Magarpatta city, Hadapsar, are miffed with the garden department of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) for leaving trimmed branches of trees on footpaths and roads which in turn are blocking the view and posing hurdles while walking.
According to the residents, the tree-trimming work has been going on for the past 15 days and clipped tree branches have been left uncleared at many places, including Akashwani Hadapsar, near Lohia hospital, Solapur road and the Magarpatta corner.
On his part, Dnyanoba Balwadkar, garden superintendent, Hadapsar ward, said, “The job of clearing the pared branches got delayed as it was the weekend and tempos were not available. Beginning Monday morning, we have started picking up all cut branches and in a couple of days, the area will be cleared.”
A junior official of the garden department of the PMC who did not wish to be named echoed similar views saying, “A two-day delay occurred while clearing the branches from footpaths and roads. We have already told officials to clear the sheared branches and instructed them to clean up the area where tree-trimming work is undertaken in future.”
However, Gajanan Shinde, who resides at the Magarpatta corner, said, “They (officials) are throwing all the pruned branches in nearby places and when we tell them to clear the place, they say it is not their job and that the same will be done in the morning by garbage collectors.”
While Vijay Patil, who stays near the Lohia hospital, said, “The trimmed branches are lying on footpaths since the last five days and could soon become places for mosquitoes to breed if not cleared soon. Cases of dengue are already on the rise so the PMC needs to be more cautious.”
Acknowledging the mistake, Ashok Ghorpade, superintendent of gardens, said, “Such an incident has taken place for the first time. Generally, our people clear the complete area where tree-trimming is carried out.”
In the coming days, the PMC garden department will be clipping trees in other parts of the city as well.
