Falling trees cause panic

The damage caused to public and private property worth lakhs of rupees across Shimla as nearly 10 deodar trees fell during the last one month has created panic among residents. The Shimla Municipal Corporation authorities responsible for identification of dangerous and precarious trees in the state capital,however,are yet to sit up and take note. For the last two months,the Tree Authority Committee of Shimla MC headed by the mayor has been postponing meetings in which the decision for identification of dangerous trees and taking the High Court’s permission to fell them is to be taken. Municipal Commissioner A N Sharma said: “The delay in the meeting is due to lack of coordination with the forest department. But urgent cases of dangerous trees are being looked into.”