Tragic end to a budding life

Thirteen-year-old Shruti was fatally injured during the Run for Life when a branch fell on her, injuring many others

Anjali Nauriyal

A terrible tragedy took place when during the Run for Life, organised for school children on Sunday by the Eco Watch Society, in association with Diabetes Foundation of India. A loosened tree branch fell on students participating in the run. Shruti, a 13-year-old student of Class X of Children's Academy, died when the branch fell on her while many others were injured, receiving fractures and injuries. The injured included Akriti of Seven Oaks, Simran of Children's Academy, Aman Saini of Scholar's Home and also Akriti's father R.S. Pal, who was running along with the children.

The vicious trend in Doon of killing trees by pouring chemicals into their roots and making them hollow, has taken on dangerous proportions. Any one who wants to kill a tree just has to use some chemical to stunt its growth and then wait for the tree to fall on its own. The department of electricity, too, chops down branches that may be touching overhanging electricity wires with its representatives working on moving vehicles. They hardly bother to cross check if the braches may be partially uncut and loosely hanging still. Of late in Doon more and more trees are falling on unsuspecting people. Some time ago, a tree fell on some scooterists on Sahastradhara Road. Last month a hollow tree just caught fire on Chakrata Road and could have set a huge fire had the overhanging electricity wires caught fire. This tree, too, was probably destroyed by vested interests. But the tragic incident on Sunday has come as a warning bell.