GANGTOK, 15 Sept: A more than 100 year old tree toppled over at Zero Point here this morning at around 10.30 a.m., collapsing on a moving vehicle and leaving its two occupants injured.
Tensung Lepcha [Divisional Engineer, Building & Housing Department] and his driver Nirmal Chettri were on their way to office when their vehicle [SK-01G-0407] was smashed by the tree which keeled over from in front of the Raj Bhawan gate at Zero Point. Both were injured, the driver more grievously, in the accident and were rushed to the Sir Thutob Namgyal Memorial Hospital, where they are under going treatment and are said to be out of danger now.
Incidentally, another government vehicle [SK-01G-0625], belonging to the Social Welfare Officer, Nakul Rawat, coming from the opposite direction was also damaged in the incident even as two other vehicles [SK-01P-3656, a Maruti Alto and SK-01G-0886, a Maxx] parked at the DHH premises were damaged by the falling branches of the huge tree.
Rescue teams comprising of police personnel from the Sadar Police Station, the Fire & Emergency Services, Forest Department, Rescue Operation Team and neighbours rushed to the assistance of the injured even as a JCB provided by a contractor was deployed to move the fallen tree aside.
“Since the rescue operations commenced in time, we were able to rescue both the occupants of the vehicle and send them to hospital for medical treatment saving their lives,” informed PI Tshering Sherpa, Officer in-Charge of the Sadar Police Station, while speaking to NOW!
There are many such trees in and around the area that are risk of toppling over, either due to their advanced age and girth. As today’s incident proved, such natural felling poses a grave danger to commuters and pedestrians. While the Forest Department has undertaken an extensive drive across the capital to clear trees posing a risk to life and property, protective felling in this area requires coordination with the Raj Bhavan authorities and cannot be undertaken suo moto.
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| The stump of the massive tree which keeled over at Zero Point today and the crumpled heap of the Bolero on which a part of this tree crashed, injuring both occupants. |
Tensung Lepcha [Divisional Engineer, Building & Housing Department] and his driver Nirmal Chettri were on their way to office when their vehicle [SK-01G-0407] was smashed by the tree which keeled over from in front of the Raj Bhawan gate at Zero Point. Both were injured, the driver more grievously, in the accident and were rushed to the Sir Thutob Namgyal Memorial Hospital, where they are under going treatment and are said to be out of danger now.
Incidentally, another government vehicle [SK-01G-0625], belonging to the Social Welfare Officer, Nakul Rawat, coming from the opposite direction was also damaged in the incident even as two other vehicles [SK-01P-3656, a Maruti Alto and SK-01G-0886, a Maxx] parked at the DHH premises were damaged by the falling branches of the huge tree.
Rescue teams comprising of police personnel from the Sadar Police Station, the Fire & Emergency Services, Forest Department, Rescue Operation Team and neighbours rushed to the assistance of the injured even as a JCB provided by a contractor was deployed to move the fallen tree aside.
“Since the rescue operations commenced in time, we were able to rescue both the occupants of the vehicle and send them to hospital for medical treatment saving their lives,” informed PI Tshering Sherpa, Officer in-Charge of the Sadar Police Station, while speaking to NOW!
There are many such trees in and around the area that are risk of toppling over, either due to their advanced age and girth. As today’s incident proved, such natural felling poses a grave danger to commuters and pedestrians. While the Forest Department has undertaken an extensive drive across the capital to clear trees posing a risk to life and property, protective felling in this area requires coordination with the Raj Bhavan authorities and cannot be undertaken suo moto.
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