Written by HARKANWAR KAUR HUNDREDS OF people of various sections of society attended the rasam pagdi of Heerakshi at Community Centre in Sector 19 Monday. She was killed as a 250-year-old heritage tree fell on her leaving 18 injured inside Carmel Convent School, Sector 9, on July 8. There was widespread criticism of the administration. “An administrative mistake claimed a girl's life. If trees are elderly and have a higher possibility of falling, they must be cut," said Mayor Sarabjeet Kaur, adding that kids' safety must be ensured in school. Harjinder Kaur, chairperson of Chandigarh Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CCPCR), said, “This is a major wake-up call for everyone. To stop these occurrences in the future, the administration, Municipal Corporation, school officials and UT residents should step up. One should speak out against the wrongdoings in their neighbourhood." Prem Lata, councillor from sectors 34, 35 and 43, said, “The Chandigarh Administration designated the 250-year-old tree as heritage property. There was still no warning notice next to it. The administration of the school should have made sure that no students sat in or wandered in that area.” “This terrible occurrence has left everyone asking for answers. Instead of playing the blame game, we should all exercise caution to prevent a recurrence," said Gurnam Kaur, principal of G N P S, Sector 36. She added that apart from ageing trees and structures, potholes in the pavements and exposed wires on the road should be surveyed as they all contribute to accidents. “My sincere sympathies are with the family for their tragic loss. Administration should undertake assessments on ancient trees and place boards next to those trees or structures for the safety of the locals," said social worker Sukhraj Kaur Sandhu. She added that action should be taken as soon as possible to prevent such accidents.
