Install insulated wires over trees in Ludhiana: NGO

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 22

A city-based NGO has demanded from the government to replace open electric wires passing over trees with insulated wires to prevent short-circuit and electrocution.

A private organisation, Council of Engineers, has written to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited and others concerned in this regard.

Mohit Jain, a member of the NGO said: “To prevent short-circuiting and electrocution, pruning of trees is often done by the PSPCL. Sometimes, haphazard pruning is done which leads to decay of the tree.”

Another member, Sanjay Verma, said: “Many trees have been chopped to the extent that no leaves can be seen on them. Now, a new electric transformer has to be installed at Sarabha Nagar, for which the space between two trees has been selected. Installation of a transformer between trees will damage the surrounding trees as well.”

Kapil Arora, member of the Council of Engineers said: “We demand a stop to topping as well as pruning of trees. Open electric wires passing over trees must be replaced with insulated ones to prevent short-circuits and electrocution. We have also demanded to shift the location of transformers being installed very close to the existing trees at a smart road project in the city.”