Labourer fined for axing, pruning ‘toot’ mulberry trees

  • | Wednesday | 26th June, 2019

Pruning of the trees in hot summer days near the bus stand had left many passengers and an NGO fuming. As these trees were providing valuable shade and protection to a large number of passengers and rickshaw pullers these days, the hard pruning and axing of main branches of these trees left them shocked and deprived of shade. All these full-grown four mulberry trees were standing in front of the residence-cum-hospital of the doctor. It is alleged that hard pruning of these trees in these hot summer days was aimed at uprooting them from the front side of the doctor’s residence. “Leaves provide food to the trees and maintain the temperature so it is not ideal to prune them in hot summer days.

THE TRIBUNE IMPACT Balwant Garg Faridkot, June 25 A week after Bathinda Tribune highlighted the axing of main branches and hard pruning of four “toot” mulberry trees near the bus stand here by a doctor, the Forest Department has imposed a fine of Rs1,500 for it. However, not nominating the doctor for the offence under Section 68 of the Indian Forest Act, department officials have imposed the fine on a migrant labour, Munshi Ram, working at the residence of the doctor for axing and pruning the trees. Pruning of the trees in hot summer days near the bus stand had left many passengers and an NGO fuming. As these trees were providing valuable shade and protection to a large number of passengers and rickshaw pullers these days, the hard pruning and axing of main branches of these trees left them shocked and deprived of shade. All these full-grown four mulberry trees were standing in front of the residence-cum-hospital of the doctor. As passengers and rickshaw pullers used to stand under these trees, it was reportedly causing discomfort to the owner of the hospital. So, these trees on public property were pruned without permission from the competent authority on June 17. It is alleged that hard pruning of these trees in these hot summer days was aimed at uprooting them from the front side of the doctor’s residence. As the doctor was not getting permission to remove the trees, these were pruned and axed. “Leaves provide food to the trees and maintain the temperature so it is not ideal to prune them in hot summer days. With the removal of excessive amount of foliage, the trees are weakened and not have enough food producing leaves left. With over-pruned trees also get sunburn. This is called sunscald,” said members of Society for Ecology and Environmental Resources (SEER), a voluntary organization that promote plantation in the town.

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