On Tuesday, a man died when a tree branch fell on his head. Even his helmet couldn’t save him. But what could have saved him was probably the timely pruning of the tree. 

Every year, people die in our city as tree branches fall due to lack of timely pruning.  Yet citizens are confused about who should prune trees. 

This reminds us of the 2013 monsoon when rains wreaked havoc in the city, with several trees falling. A survey was conducted and it concluded that scientific and timely tree pruning was necessary to stop death and service disruption. Ten years later, we still have the same problem! 

In 2013, M. Mahadev, the then Managing Director of Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation (CESC), said that non-pruning had cost CESC heavily as it had brought down around 200 electric poles. Mahadev said the onus of surveying and pruning trees falls on the Forest Department.

Strangely, the then Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF), Mysore, P. Durgegowda, responded by saying that the Forest Department prunes trees only when citizens call and there is no need for any survey or scientific pruning! 

Shockingly, the ACF expects citizens to know which tree is deep-rooted enough to withstand heavy rains.

Also, who’s standing around looking up at trees, wondering which branch will fall and kill us? And what’s the number to call to report if we find such ‘criminal trees’ and their sidekicks the ‘killer branches’?  

The question is, should the CESC prune trees to protect their electric lines, should the Forest Department do it as the trees come under their preview, or should the MCC do it as they are the caretakers of the city? Who is to prune our trees and save lives? 

According to a Forest official, MCC has to cut and prune dangerous trees and branches in its jurisdiction, and the Forest Department maintains trees only inside parks. 

This could be true considering that the MCC paid compensation of Rs. 10,000 to a rider in 2014 whose two-wheeler was damaged in a tree fall at Metagalli. 

So will MCC pay compensation to the family of Reginald Platel, who died on Tuesday, Feb. 6? 

Meanwhile, where is Shaktiman?

 It was also reported day before that the Horticulture Department of the MCC, responsible for pruning old and dangerous branches, is not equipped to prune trees at the moment.

The MCC Assistant Executive Engineer confessed that they didn’t have a vehicle equipped with a ladder to prune trees as the RTO had seized them because they were more than 35 years old and unfit for operations! But why not use Shaktiman?

In 2019, the then MCC Commissioner K.H. Jagadeesha introduced Shaktiman to Mysureans with great fanfare. He had said that Shaktiman is the first such machine procured by any City Corporation in Karnataka, and this will be useful in pruning trees, branches, dry twigs and even leaves.

The MCC Commissioner then went on to say that Shaktiman is so tall that it can even prune the tallest trees over 30 feet easily. 

The MCC also released a press statement extolling  Shaktiman’s traits. It said Shaktiman can swivel 360 degrees and has a smooth operating procedure. It has a long-reach chainsaw cutter. It is a rugged machine and is low maintenance as it does not have clutch, gearbox, etc. 

The way MCC promoted Shaktiman, some wondered if MCC was looking to get Shaktiman married. Was MCC looking for a bride, a ‘Shakti-woman’? Some Mysureans, who are fans of science fiction movies, thought that Shaktiman was a Transformer – a machine that comes alive. They, for a moment, thought we had finally found our ‘Optimus Prime’ of tree pruning and that he would save our heads from murderous branches.  But where is Shaktiman now?

It seems Shaktiman has not disappeared, he is quietly being deployed in certain areas because he is the only one MCC has.

Interestingly, in 2021, it was lying idle and was gathering dust in MCC due to non-maintenance. However, after the public outcry, it was put to use.

May be the MCC must procure more Shaktimans considering the old ladder-laden vehicles have been deemed unfit.

While we wait for trees to be pruned, let’s hope the administration ensures it’s done safely without causing too much inconvenience to the public. 

I say this because unprofessional tree-cutting led to the death of a young woman. In 2011, Prarthana and her family were on their way to Ooty for a holiday. They were stopped near Gundlupet and asked to wait as a huge banyan tree was being cut for road widening.

The unscientific tree-cutting method resulted in the massive tree crashing on Prarthana’s car. She lost her life. She was just 33, and two children were left without a mother.

Maybe MCC should call for tenders with the condition that tree cutting or road works were  open only to contractors who can do work at night or during the wee hours when the public will not be inconvenienced and exposed to possible danger.

People have to wake up and realise that most officials don’t care about public safety unless there are VIPs involved.

When Barack Obama came to India, officials in Delhi made sure all the trees around Gandhi Museum were trimmed and the coconut trees were rid of all their coconuts. 

When the officer in-charge was asked why the coconuts were being plucked en masse, he said, “Why take a chance?” I guess he was worried if a coconut broke off and fell on Obama or even around him, the officer’s coconut would have been broken.  

Why don’t the officials and administration apply the same safety standards to the commoner? Because we citizens don’t demand it.

Most of us don’t take the trouble to call our local Corporator or MCC to fix things. Instead, we wait for some NGO to do that for us. 

If we keep waiting, branches will keep snapping and our heads will keep breaking.

e-mail: vikram@starofmysore.com

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Why waste tax-payers’ money on purchasing equipment when it cannot be maintained, ask the public

Mysore/Mysuru: ‘Shaktiman,’ the multipurpose hydraulic vehicle of Mysuru City Corporation (MCC), which was being used to cut dry trees and branches and also to prune dry branches of trees, is now lying idle and gathering dust in the MCC due to non-maintenance.

The MCC had purchased ‘Shaktiman,’ by paying lakhs of rupees and the machine was launched by the then District Minister G.T. Devegowda at a function organised by MCC at its premises on Feb. 4, 2019. The Minister had climbed the ‘Shaktiman’ multipurpose hydraulic vehicle and pruned dry branches, thus launching the machine in city. This was the lone machine, which was working like a ‘One Man Army’ in all 65 MCC Wards of city to prune trees. But following non maintenance, ‘Shaktiman’ developed leakage of Hydraulic and Engine oil making it non-functional and is now gathering dust at a corner in MCC premises.

This machine has the capacity to reach tree branches which are at a height of 30 ft. and enables a person standing on it to prune tree branches. As this was the only machine for all 65 MCC Wards, Shaktiman was being used continuously to prune branches for 15 to 20 days in one single Ward. Following heavy usage of the machine, the pipes supplying hydraulic oil to the machine’s hydraulic jacks developed leakages and even oil from the engine began to leak.

Like every machine, ‘Shaktiman’ too needs to be serviced regularly for smooth operation and to prevent breakdowns, which may not have been done. The cost of the service may have been affordable then but now, the repair cost could be high.

Meanwhile, a MCC Horticulture Division official told SOM that ‘Shaktiman’ was to be serviced once in six months which was not done and hence, the machine is not being used now. Now, permission has to be sought from the MCC Commissioner to get the machine repaired, he added.

Apart from ‘Shaktiman,’ there are two old ladder vehicles in the MCC which is not sufficient to be used in all 65 MCC Wards, the officials said and added that there is a need for more ladder vehicles to prune trees.

The Horticulture Division officer said that at least one ladder vehicle is needed for each MCC Zone and added that the present ladder vehicles in use are more than 20-25 years old. As a result, the staff are afraid to use these vehicles. Pruning dead, weak and dry tree branches not only saves trees  but also prevents incidents of such tree branches falling on people and vehicles, the officer said.

Meanwhile, the public were heard saying that why should the MCC waste taxpayers’ money on purchasing equipment, when it cannot maintain them regularly. Even the sweeping machine that was purchased paying lakhs of rupees is defunct now because of non-maintenance, they added.

Shaktiman is repaired, will be in use in a day or two: MCC

MCC Vehicles Division officials, speaking to SOM, has clarified that ‘Shaktiman’ has been repaired and will be in use in a day or two.

The officials said that the multipurpose hydraulic vehicle will be sent to various MCC Wards in a day or two to prune tree branches, that are weak, dry, which may fall on power lines and pose danger to the public.

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Mysuru: Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) distributed 53 three-wheelers to physically challenged persons, launched a first of its kind ‘My Clean City’ mobile app and dedicated ‘Shaktiman’  multipurpose hydraulic vehicle to the city.

District in-Charge Minister G.T. Devegowda distributed the three-wheelers, launched the app and ‘Shaktiman’  vehicle yesterday at a function organised by MCC at its premises.

Speaking on the occasion, he said that to regain the cleanest city top spot in the country, the MCC officials, Corporators and the citizens have all joined hands and participated in the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. Hence, there is every possibility that the city will once again become the number one cleanest city in the country, he added expressing his confidence.

It is the job of the MCC to create a healthy environment,  maintain cleanliness develop parks, repair and clean UGDs, prune branches and leaves along with keeping the city beautiful. The heartening factor this time is that the Corporators irrespective of their party affiliations have come together and worked hard during the Swachhata campaign, he said lauding the efforts of everyone.

The introduction of the multipurpose hydraulic vehicle ‘Shaktiman’ has been a real boon to the city to cut dry trees,  prune branches etc., he added.

The physically challenged who have been donated three-wheelers must utilise it properly and become empowered and thus carve an independent path to become economically independent, advised GTD.

Minister prunes branches: The Minister climbed the ‘Shaktiman’ multipurpose hydraulic vehicle and pruned dry branches, thus launching the machine in city.

Rs.300 crore grant: Mayor Pushpalatha Jagannath speaking on the occasion, said that MCC is facing a shortfall of grant and urged the District Minister to get Rs. 300 crore grant for the Corporation.

The cost of each tri-wheeler was Rs. 67,333 and the total cost for 53 vehicles amounted                                                          to Rs.35.68 lakh and the money for this was drawn from the 2018-19 year 5 per cent grant, she said.

This is the first time that 53 persons were distributed tri-wheelers and in the coming days more people are going to get it, she added.

MLA L. Nagendra, MCC Commissioner K.H. Jagadeesha, former Mayors and Corporators participated in the programme.  

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Mysuru: Annual monsoons can be exciting and dangerous. Extending from mid-June through the end of September, monsoon season brings with it torrential rain, violent thunderstorms, and high winds that put trees and property at risk. Dead or damaged branches are more likely to snap when under pressure from high winds and diseased or decayed wood are more vulnerable to breakage.

Every year before the monsoon sets in, the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) scrambles to cut dead trees and prune branches that dangerously protrude on the roads and touch power and cable lines. Special teams are formed and spread out to each area in city to prune dead and dangerous branches.

Now with the arrival of ‘Shaktiman,’ the task of pruning trees is made easy and the good thing is that only one person is needed to operate it and the MCC can allocate tree-cutting manpower for other urgent and impending tasks. Shaktiman is a multi-purpose machine that can prune trees and branches and MCC will be the first civic body in Karnataka to have this machine.

It is a self-propelled Tree-maintenance Platform and is one-person operated and the operator can stand inside a specially made platform, manning the controls. Once on the platform, the operator cuts the branches with a mechanised saw with ease and there is no risk involved unlike in manual operations. Even branches of tallest trees (over 30 feet) in city can be easily pruned.

The machine does not pose a risk even in crowded places. The machine can swivel 360 degrees and has a smooth operating procedure. Its long-reach chain saw cutter is specially designed for pruning of tree branches. It’s a rugged machine and works on low maintenance as it does not have the clutch, gearbox etc. and has minimum wear and tear items.

The machine has been manufactured at Rajkot in Gujarat and it costs Rs.21,11,000. The MCC had called for a tender and Chandrashekar of Chamundeshwari Traders had bid for Rs.20,61,000 and the tender was awarded to him, said MCC officials. Chandrashekar got the machine in a knocked down condition and assembled it in Mysuru and has parked the machine at Vani Vilas Water Works (VVWW) premises.

Speaking to Star of Mysore, MCC Commissioner K.H. Jagadeesha said, “This is the first such machine procured by any Corporation in Karnataka and this will be useful in pruning trees, branches, dry twigs and leaves.

It can be used for other purposes like lifting a person to a height of 30 feet from the ground level. Apart from this, it can be used for cleaning bus shelters and in the rainy season to clear                                            water-logged rooftops.”

The company from which the machine has been procured has assisted in assembling the machine that was brought in knocked down condition and has also deputed two operators to train the MCC staff in handling the machine. The “centre of gravity” of this machine is balanced from designing stage itself.

The machine has three wheels and does not have a steering or a handle. There are separate buttons which are used to drive straight, take a turn to left or right and even reverse.

The machine can also be used to climb up buildings during an emergency. These multi-purpose machines are used in Delhi and Chennai, said Assistant Executive Engineer Sadashiva K. Chatni.

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