Once upon a time there was a tree. Most stories start like this so I thought let me start it this way as well. There was this tree near the IBM building in Gurgaon just by the side of NH 8. It was comfortably placed at one end of the road and was living happily. Until one day the government decided to create a new passage for people who want to turn left and decided they will cut a road through the empty grounds. Doing this the tree suddenly came under the spot light as it came right in the center of the newly laid road. The tree was happy and enjoying the popularity, everyone who passed by had a word or two for the tree.
The officials could not cut down the tree as that was against Go Green slogan that we are following. So the tree was left there. As time passed by the tree started feeling the trouble as every day or two a new vehicle would come and crash into it giving the tree bruises. At first the tree did not consider it as a threat and smiled at every person that hit it and asked if the person was ok. As more days passed more people got attracted to the tree and started kissing it. Some even ran directly into it with the intention to hug it. Every time I passed by I thought why has this tree been left in the center of the road.
Finally one day the government officials decided that the accident rate on that road has increased significantly and they ordered that the tree be cut down in order to save human lives. When the tree was in its last leg of life, it could clearly hear the words that each passer by said for it. The tree felt sad and surprised at the comments that were made and excepted its end gleefully.
What I am trying to emphasize here is that when the road was being planned should not have anybody thought about the tree and how to handle it. It is a very bad practice to just leave it in the centre of a turning road where there is not even adequate lighting. It was very easy to predict that the tree would cause several accidents. There should have been proper thinking before the implementation itself. If there was no other option available, then the tree should have been cut down even before the start of the road. Eventually the tree was cut down but not before it got involved in several accidents many of which were serious. I leave the question to you, What would you have done if you were the decision maker here ?
The officials could not cut down the tree as that was against Go Green slogan that we are following. So the tree was left there. As time passed by the tree started feeling the trouble as every day or two a new vehicle would come and crash into it giving the tree bruises. At first the tree did not consider it as a threat and smiled at every person that hit it and asked if the person was ok. As more days passed more people got attracted to the tree and started kissing it. Some even ran directly into it with the intention to hug it. Every time I passed by I thought why has this tree been left in the center of the road.
Finally one day the government officials decided that the accident rate on that road has increased significantly and they ordered that the tree be cut down in order to save human lives. When the tree was in its last leg of life, it could clearly hear the words that each passer by said for it. The tree felt sad and surprised at the comments that were made and excepted its end gleefully.
What I am trying to emphasize here is that when the road was being planned should not have anybody thought about the tree and how to handle it. It is a very bad practice to just leave it in the centre of a turning road where there is not even adequate lighting. It was very easy to predict that the tree would cause several accidents. There should have been proper thinking before the implementation itself. If there was no other option available, then the tree should have been cut down even before the start of the road. Eventually the tree was cut down but not before it got involved in several accidents many of which were serious. I leave the question to you, What would you have done if you were the decision maker here ?
There are evidences of existence of trees in the mid of the road in ancient times also, but as time passes by the people are used to face the tree in their day-to-day traveling procedure, and I believe they drive carefully to take care of the fact that they as well as others are not hurt by any means, this must have gone accidental as they wouldn't have been expecting tree(s) in the midway to left turn.
ReplyDeleteBut yes that tree, if not cut down, would have served the purpose of providing shed to passerby for several years. I would have 2 choices :- design the path such that tree leave in its own space OR if not possible wrt the path then give the tree its own surroundings to live and not get affected by the nearby happenings. Both the choices are inclined to give that living being its own space; I believe that there was no need to cut down the tree at all. I would rather say that the tree was murdered by humans.
--Deepak