Avoidable disasters

It never rains but it pours. Floods have been reported from many parts of the country, and nearly 57,000 people have been displaced. Besides, landslides, tree falls, etc., continue to accompany heavy showers, and many roads have become impassable. The situation is likely to take a turn for the worse if the torrential rains lashing several districts continue, we are told. The inclement weather has rendered the public vulnerable even in urban centres. The death toll from yesterday’s tree fall in Kollupitiya had risen to five at the time of going to press.

No sooner had disaster struck in Colombo, yesterday, State Minister of Pramitha Bandara Tennakoon ordered that immediate action be taken, in consultation with relevant institutions, to find and remove all unstable trees near roads. This is a welcome move, but if only he or someone else in authority had issued such an order before the onset of rains. In fact, this is a task for the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC), which is so overstaffed that cynics say its workers far outnumber the trees and bushes in the city.

Yesterday’s tragedy could have been prevented if the municipal and road development authorities had cared to carry out their duties and functions properly. There have been numerous instances where massive trees collapsed in the city of Colombo. One may recall that as many as 12 trees fell in different parts of the city within one week in 2010, and those incidents received wide publicity. The CMC promised action to remove unstable trees and protect the public, but unfortunately there was no follow-up action.

The municipal authorities have sought to absolve themselves of the blame for failing to assess the threat that ageing trees pose to the public in the city. Municipal Commissioner Bhadranie Jayawardhana has claimed that nobody had warned them of the condition of the tree that fell, crushing an SLTB bus, yesterday. This, we believe, is a very lame excuse.

There is absolutely no need for anyone to do so, for the CMC’s tentacles have extended their reach to every nook and cranny of the city. Nothing escapes the eye of the municipal Big Brother, as it were; no one can park his or her vehicle under any wayside tree within the city limits, even for a few minutes, without being made to pay a parking fee. So, how can the city administrators claim they were not aware of the condition of the tree that caused yesterday’s tragedy?

The Municipal Commissioner has also said most trees in the city are more than 100 years old. If so, that is all the more reason why the CMC should have adopted precautionary measures instead of waiting until disaster struck to act. There are many other green giants that adorn the city but could potentially endanger the lives of road users. It is imperative that the CMC swing into action, at least now, to prevent another disaster, instead of trotting out feeble excuses and going back into slumber.

The Road Development Authority (RDA) is in overdrive to cut down trees. In July, it incurred much public opprobrium by having a rare, endemic tree (Crudia Zeylanica) uprooted, cut into pieces and buried at night, in Meerigama. It claimed that the ill-fated tree had been an impediment to the Central Highway construction project. But it has turned a blind eye to the danger that unstable trees pose to the public in the city of Colombo!

It is hoped that urgent action will be taken as per State Minister Tennakoon’s order to ensure the safety of road users. However, there is the possibility of some crooks in the garb of bureaucrats and politicians making the most of his order to go on a tree-felling spree in the city on the pretext of ensuring public safety.

All trees that could pose a potential danger to the public should be scientifically identified by experts and action taken to ensure the safety of residents and road users. No room should be left for this task to be carried out haphazardly. Let environmental groups be urged to remain alert lest timber racketeers should turn the Colombo city into a desert in the name of ensuring public safety.