Dharamshala: A dry and dead pine tree is hanging over the buildings of Tibetans on the Mcleodganj-Dharamkot road. Residents claim that they have written several letters to officials of both the forest department and Dharamshala Municipal Corporation to remove the dead tree, but no department has taken any action. Lobsang Dhonden La, a resident of the area, said that the tree has been hanging over his house for more than a year. “I have met officials of the forest department and municipal corporation several times to remove the tree. The tree can fall anytime and damage my houses,” he said.
Complaint sent to concerned official
I have sent the residents’ complaint about the dead tree to the tree officer of the municipal corporation, who has been instructed to take necessary action. – Zafar Iqbal, Dharamshala Municipal Corporation Commissioner. “The monsoon season is approaching and the possibility of a dead tree falling over the houses of people living in the surrounding areas is increasing, but the concerned officials are not doing anything about it,” he said. Another resident, Acha Penpa La, said it was unfortunate that the authorities were allowing the cutting of green trees to clear land for construction but not allowing the removal of dead trees that pose a threat to several settlements in the area. The area is home to many people from the Tibetan community who have been allowed by the Indian government to settle in the area. Gajalla, an environmental activist in Mcleodganj, told The Tribune that many green trees were being cut to erect commercial buildings. The environmental activist said the MC was allowing these people to cut green pine trees but the dead trees that pose a threat to residential buildings were not being removed for over a year. Dharamshala MC Commissioner Zafar Iqbal said he had forwarded the complaint of Mcleodganj residents about the dead tree to the civic body’s tree officer who has been directed to take necessary action.
