Rat menace: Rodents damage roots of trees in Company Bagh

Charnajit Singh Teja

Tribune News Services

Amritsar, January 8

Centuries-old trees in the historic Ram Bagh are facing threat due to rat menace. Many rare trees in the Ram Bagh, which normally grow in the Himalayas and Nilgiri Hills, face uncertain future due to actions of people and apathy of the Municipal Corporation.

Advocate PC Shrama, a resident, has written to the MC authorities for pest management in the historic garden.

“It was quite difficult for these trees to survive in the prevailing environment. There is an urgent need to take care of the garden. The population of rats in the park has increased. The residents offer grains and pulses to birds and insects near the trees. The practice has led to rats making their holes near trees. In the process, they damage the roots of the trees,” said Sharma. “It is sad that the condition of trees is miserable. There is no maintenance of the garden,” he said.

Parkash Singh Bhatti, an environmentalist, said: “Several rat holes can be seen around trunks of various trees. During rain, water enters these holes and the trees tilt even after average winds. Already over 500 trees have fallen due to administrative negligence. No officials have ever inspected the park.”