Tree's Trauma

It is rainy season. So, old and overgrown tree’s fate has started. Many trees in Mumbai have come under tree killers’ axe. Another Gulmohar in our building compound had a trauma recently. The tree’s size brought its fate. Though it is getting old it looks healthy and strong. The tree is a favourite place for squirrels, birds, crows and even bats. It has just finished the flowering and looked greener in this rainy season ever than before when this happened. It also happens in our lives. The moment you feel everything is OK some trouble could on your way. The tree’s fate started when it stretched out its branches up to a building’s flat and making an easy way for squirrels to hop on to the window.

Society members took step on one of the resident’s complaint. They brought three strong men to cut off its limbs as a punishment. Trees know no offense; they have a right to spread the branches where there is space. One of the men climbed on to the tree and started talking to someone over the mobile as if it is a walkie-talkie. Technology is going on at its best in India. You may see even a beggar use the mobile these days. They cut off half of the branches and chopped it into small pieces.

The resident had complaint about squirrels that enter into their flat. But squirrels are not the real problem, I can guess. The tree branches swinging violently in the monsoon winds might have scared them. They told their apprehension and blamed the member for planting such huge trees near the building. The man who planted the tree had made a mistake certainly and the tree has to suffer. Multi-storied building and tall trees cannot co-exit. Squirrels also hop on to our window and run around lifting the tail up and down. Even rats and chameleon climb on to our grill. But I don’t have to shoo them away or scare away from them. They will come and go themselves. I have learnt to co-exist with them. Once a baby squirrel stayed for a long time on our grill being confused where to go. I used to see snakes in our building compound. Once I saw a snake moving backward from our window-sill when I suddenly went to put clothes on the clothes-line. It scared me but I forget easily.

Trees need regular trimming, but not in this way. Some trees will not flower or bear fruit if trimmed regularly. If they want to trim the trees it should be done just after the rainy season, so that trees will spread the branches within a limited space up to the next rainy season. In Mumbai some trees fall in the rainy season and cause damage. We live in houses surrounded by large trees and plants in village—never heard of trees fallen on humans there. If you like trees they will like you, I believe. Trees are like humans and large animals. They live long. Fortunately, Nature has created trees in a way that the branches can grow again and again. If one branch is cut another will come out with a vengeance. They should plant small trees near the buildings in Mumbai to prevent damage by falling trees.