Discom, Civic Bodies Spar Over Cut Trees, Leave City Hostage
The problem is not limited to one or two neighbourhoods, but has rather become a common sight across the entire city
Hyderabad: A routine exercise to prevent power disruptions has turned into a daily nuisance for thousands of people. Roads, footpaths and street corners are littered with piles of cut tree branches across the city due to a lack of coordination between power discom and civic bodies in Hyderabad.
From the beginning of the monsoon season, electricity staff have been trimming tree branches that touch or hang close to power lines to reduce the risk of outages, especially during rains. However, once the branches are cut, many are simply left where they fall. In several areas, the heaps have remained on roadsides for weeks, narrowing roads, blocking footpaths and creating inconvenience for motorists, pedestrians and residents.
The problem is not limited to one or two neighbourhoods, but has rather become a common sight across the entire city. The sight of dried branches lying beside busy roads has raised questions about how basic coordination between government departments can fail so badly.
The issue appears to stem from a blame game rather than a lack of resources. Municipal staff claim it is the responsibility of TGSPDCL to remove the branches after trimming them. On the other hand, electricity department officials argue that disposing of tree waste falls under the jurisdiction of the municipal corporations. As both sides continue to shift responsibility, the waste remains where it is, leaving citizens to deal with the consequences.
“The electricity department workers cut the branches on June 18. They trimmed down the branches and left them on the roadside. When I asked them, they said CMC staff will take it away. But no one cleared it,” Sai Manideep, a resident of Madhapur’s Ayyappa Society, said.
He further said, “I spoke with the CMC sweepers, and they said the electricity department staff have their own vehicles and they should remove them. While they kept arguing about their responsibilities, the branches dried up and became a breeding ground for flies and mosquitoes.”
It may be noted that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, in a recent monsoon review meeting, ordered all department officials to coordinate with each other and stay on the ground, and said that issues leading to public inconvenience would not be tolerated.
