The street- tree!

 A tree like a tortoise, mostly lives for a long time. The immovability I think saves a lot of their energy, which leads to longer lives. And in that lifespan, I am sure they witness a lot. The tallest branch hosting the highest leaf, always trying to get the rays of the sun to the grounded roots reaching out to the sub surface water beneath- a tree is a total institution of life. With just taking enough and giving away everything else- this epitome of life has so much to teach us. Have always wondered, if humans could understand the language of trees, would life have been any different? 

In urban spaces, the trees on our streets though I feel go through a lot more. Be it physical pollution- dust, dirt, carbon monoxide, or all the negative energy and tension we throw out on our streets every day from our busy and forever complicated lifestyles! On a two-wheeler or a cycle, you might to some extent understand what these creatures go through. Though a street tree on a highly traffic prone area, must be definitely going through hell everyday... with no escape. 

When we moved to our new residence around 12 years back, a long barren road leading to our society had one such ‘loner’ street tree around the corner. He was a copper pod/ yellow flamboyant/ or yellow gulmohar tree- scientifically and colloquially called. I feel birds and trees should be given personal names like one does to other fellow human beings, to be able to relate to them better. Though this guy was very close to our lives, because everyone who asked for directions to reach our place- had to be guided through him; I never really got to naming him… However he was always there in our conversations- ‘the landmark’-  before smart phones, google maps and ‘my locations’ came into our lives! A non-native, ornamental and fast growing tree he was. 

In the span of 5-10 years the area near our society grew. A once kaccha road has now become a 6 lane pukka road leading to the next suburb very conveniently. A slew of eateries and shops also started growing on this road. As this was happening, we as a community also realised that to maintain the bio-rhythm and to have an overall ‘well being’ feeling, we needed trees on this road and around us. We started doing plantation drives every year before the monsoon set in and tried our best to green the roads amidst the grey of concrete that was filling it up rapidly. The society as a group was also bonding together through these drives. 

 

                         

In 2018, as part of some new scheme of development, the then Corporator decided to cut down our street tree at the entrance of the street. This team of residents who had planted over 200 trees on this road now, got together and decided to fight this out. We met the Corporator in person, requested him to not cut down and in-turn gave him the option of-  ‘we building a man-made island around this tree’. A tree-guard + island was formed using old tyres which were painted with fluorescent colours and tied around the tree. The objective of safety of humans as well as safety of our street tree were both fulfilled. It was a very satisfying deed that we all did together.

   

Another 5 years pass and we now have a lot of traffic on this link road. This lucrative new infrastructure connect is a big convenience factor in the area. The neighbourhood has grown rapidly and also the number of cars in each household (every house has a minimum of two cars). The sizes of the cars, like our lifestyles have increased in shape (SUVs being the ‘in’ thing now). The street has become a consumption hub with eateries, vendors and other shops on either side of the road. 

Last week though, as I was passing the street tree, I along with a friend witnessed a group of people cutting his branches. We got off our vehicle and confronted the team there. The Tree authority was doing their job – they had an official letter to cut this guy down. My heart sank. In a mob its useless to fight and get your point across. So we took photos of the letter, gave the team a piece of our heart and left the place. 

Any tree - street or in our society, is a part of all our lives. Every citizen has a right on him. There is a Tree act and clauses within them which helps each of us protect these trees. I picked up the phone and called a friend who is an expert on the Tree act to understand the clauses in detail. 

As I read the official letter in detail, I realised there were a lot of loop holes vis-a-vis the law. For eg: The trees mentioned to be cut on the letter – were not the ones being cut. There was no appeal to revert back, stuck on our street tree for the 14-day stipulated period and the letter issued was already nearing the end of its validity. We sent out an appeal to the whole society to write to the authorities; a signature campaign was taken against the cutting and emails sent to the tree authority department. 

Saturday morning, as we rode past on the bike heading to the University, for a walk.... my heart skipped a beat.. and I stopped. 

Our 'street tree' was no longer there.. It was 7.05 in the morning .   

He had vanished the previous night…. The axe had done it's work... in the darkness of the night.

The morning walk was soaked in reflection, introspection, and mourning. I didn’t want to cover up that feeling of pain… because I felt it was the least I could do for him..

Are ‘justice’ and ‘sensitivity’ just words in the world today? Where did the letters and appeals made against the cutting go? Do we stop to feel and start to think of a strategy to fight against these insensitive acts? Or do we just stop to feel and go on with our lives as usual?

We all might continue to do what each of us believes in. 

But if I for a moment, would to try to understand the language the street tree spoke...  I feel he would have said.. " I am exhausted with all the selfish, angry and consumption led air around me!" 

So he vanished from our lives... Leaving us with a vacuum... Right in front... glaring at us at the entrance of our street!

Apologies and gratitude for everything...Dear Street tree......

-  Shubha Kulkarni

cshubha100@yahoo.co.in