GUWAHATI: In the wake of a fatal tree-collapse incident in Kalipur that claimed the life of a woman and injured another person, the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) has decided to seek the formation of a joint task force with the forest department to identify and remove dead and ageing trees that pose a risk to public safety.
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Speaking to the media, GMC Mayor Mrigen Sarania said the civic body would formally write to the forest department requesting its cooperation in surveying and removing hazardous trees across the city. He said the decision was prompted by the recent tragedy and aimed at preventing similar incidents in the future.
Sarania said GMC is not authorised to remove such trees on its own and that the forest department's involvement is necessary. Under the proposed arrangement, GMC would identify dangerous trees, while the forest department would undertake the removal process.
Meanwhile, forest department officials told GPlus that although the identification and removal of ageing or hazardous trees do not fall under their regular responsibilities and there is no dedicated team assigned for the task, the department has always responded to requests from civic agencies.
"This is not specifically part of our designated work and we do not have a separate team for such operations. However, whenever GMC or GMDA (Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority) approaches us with complaints regarding dangerous or ageing trees, we take the necessary action. We have always extended our support in such cases," a forest official said.
The proposal comes amid growing concerns over the absence of a comprehensive assessment of ageing trees in Guwahati. The planned task force is expected to help identify vulnerable trees across the city and reduce risks to residents before accidents occur.
