MC to buy 12 tree-trimming machines

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 21

The Municipal Corporation is going to buy 12 tree-trimming machines, the trial for which was undertaken today in Karnal.

The one-man operated machine, costing about Rs 15 lakh each, can revolve 360 degrees. It can prune trees up to 30-foot height. The civic body has already got approval to buy four machines in the General House meeting. Thus, it will float tenders by Monday or Tuesday to buy four of them.

The corporation has envisioned that each six sub-division will have two machines for doing the job. A total of 12 machines are to be bought following another approval in the House meeting. Today, corporation’s chief engineer NP Sharma, executive engineer (horticulture) KP Singh,  along with Deputy Mayor Anil Dubey, councillors Davinder Singh Babla and Sat Parkash Aggarwal inspected the machines in Karnal.

“At present, trees cover the street lights due to which these fail to illuminate streets properly. By pruning trees in a mechanical way, we will be able to provide better lighting in the city. The best part is its fuel efficiency, and it will require only one man to operate it,” Babla said.

At present, workers have been pruning tress manually with the help of ‘boom ladders’. It leads to several issues, including improper cutting and lying of scattered branches on roads. The MC has pruned trees on the Chandi Path route and is on its way to prune them in other areas.

A Gujarat-based Shaktiman brand machine has been bought by the Karnal MC for the same.

“We will float tenders and all interested companies can bid for the same,” said an official.