Rohit Kumar
Port Blair, 11 August 2021
Two people lost their lives and two people are seriously injured due to an unfortunate incident of a tree falling on three houses at Manjery under Guptapara Garm Panchayat in South Andaman District. According to the people residing in the neighbourhood, the incident took place early morning at about 4:00 Am on 11th August 2021.
A large Peepal tree which was quite old stood near these three houses in Manjery Village which fell on the houses early this morning. Two houses are completely damaged and one has sustained considerable damage due to the tree fall.
While the residents of one house were completely unharmed, the residents of the other two houses had to bear the brunt. One family lost two of its members while the other family has two members seriously injured.
On 23rd of May 2021 a 17-year-old boy of Chouldari Village had lost his life because of a tree falling on his house due to high wind speed. This is the second case of death due to a tree falling on houses in the South Andaman District this year.
Mr. Ajoy Bairagi, State President, Bharatiya Janata Party, Andaman and Nicobar Islands reached Manjery Village and visited the site of the tree fall. While talking to Nicobar Times at Manjery Mr. Ajoy Bairagi requested the administration to look into the issues that people are facing to get the dangerous trees removed from vicinity of their houses. He conveyed his heartfelt condolences to family who lost the souls and extended all possible support to the family members of the deceased and the injured.
According to some villagers, these residents had requested the authorities for removing the dangerous tree from the vicinity of their houses a few years ago, but appropriate action was not taken.
The sad incident brings to light the need for a better system to report dangerous trees in the vicinity of residential areas and calls for prompt action by the authorities.