Cutting down trees on road median : Ridiculously ludricous
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: November 26, 2012 -

Ridiculous. Stupid is a term deemed unparliamentary and hence the omission of this term.

From making the official quarters of the Chief Minister a ‘no approach’ zone after a certain time in the evening a couple of years back to now deciding to cut down all the trees and flowers planted on the road median from Keishampat to Tulihal airport, and the State Government has taken the term ‘ridiculous’ to new heights.

Some years back, after the official quarters of the Chief Minister came under attack, all roads leading to this address were blocked and traffic was diverted and now on the ground that militants have been using the wooded areas offered by the trees/plants/flowers and the grilled caging on the road median to plant explosives, the State Government has come up with the grand plan to cut these trees/plants/flowers.

A case of cutting off the nose to spite the face.

Nothing can get more ludicrous than this. In one swift statement, the Government has conveyed the message that it is on the backfoot in the fight against the IED tactics adopted by the militant organisations and this is shameful.

More like throwing in the towel. Forget about the negative impact on the environment, the very decision to cut down these plants smacks of arrogance, which has been the most defining face of the State Police.

Not surprising that this decision has been taken on the advice and suggestion of the Police Department.

As noted, this is not the first time that the State Government is toying with an idea that borders on the outlandish and it will not be the last time either.

The Government is missing the wood for the trees. This is not how a Government should be approaching a subject like neutralising the recent spate of IED attacks.

But then of course, nothing should come as too surprising from a Government which has refused to think beyond the obvious.

Nothing less than trying to stop the rain to avoid flooding during the Monsoon !

Third consecutive stint in office and it is clear that the present leadership is still trying to see the difference between the cheese and the chalk.

Such a mindset has been on display on several occasions earlier too. The traffic lights which were operationalised and added more chaos to vehicular movements in the heart of the city.

Closed Circuit TV Cameras installed at various strategic points to help in the maintenance of law and order, only to realise later that the back up batteries are not enough to keep them operational.

Putting into service some semi-low floor buses only to realise later that without profits it cannot be sustained.

And now coming up with the decision to cut down trees because these provide the shade and the shelter to militants to plant bombs and the Government is certainly living up to its character.

Why not burn down all the forested areas as these places are believed to offer safe havens to militant organisations ?

Given the mindset of this Government, it should not come as a surprise if a decision is adopted to ban all vehicles to avoid road mishaps !