Yesterday we had a unique experience.
We have an
open ground in front where the road ends in a cul-de-sac
and the ground starts. The ground hugs our colony periphery on
the south eastern side.
It
has been a vacant lot for ever, and the greenery is
soothing. A place for birds, and all other small animals.
We don't complain, since it gives
a lovely mini forest canopy. There was a huge well, where
children used to play, fish and swim. But 15 years back some high rise was
built on the well and a few Eucalyptus trees were planted in their compound.
There
is a nala flowing between our colony,
and the high rise .In fact the forest cover gives a respite from the nala overflow and also the stench.
It is
needless to say, the high rise residents find it convenient to throw their
garbage into the mini forest, and choke the nala from
time to time.
Three
days back, while I was on the terrace watering the plants, I heard a loud noise,
and to my amusement saw one tree,
breaking up and falling over some compound walls, over the nala,
and lay sprawling on our part of the road.
People
who were out running, hearing the bang, were sympathetic, to find a big tree
sprawled across. It was also occupying major portion of the road,
and vehicles could not pass...
I saw the
huge canopy and I requested my domestic help
to collect the leaves as much as possible for use in the garden
as mulch, and went about my work.
The
owners of the tree immediately arranged for cutting the debris and
disposing it. It took them almost a day to cut the branches
and clean up the road, and workers were quick to finish, by
disposing it in the nala!
The
normal process could have been, to summon the lorry from Cantonment Office for
collecting the tree debris. That would have involved some expenditure.
By chance
I heard some noise, and peeped out. To my horror, smoke and flames were leaping out
of the forest ground. The flames were some 15 feet high and making
cracking noise. I rushed out and saw that, couple of workers were
watching the fire, smoking, and chatting on cell-phones.
Hearing
the commotion, the neighbours came out rushing. The fire was spreading to the
dry twigs and branches. Though it was in the direction away from our houses,
there was a danger of it coming towards our homes due to some heavy winds.
So much commotion was going on, but no one from the high rise came
forward.
They might
have been watching from their closed windows and balconies, but they
did not respond. I had to shout above the din of noise, that I am
calling the fire department and the police.
The
workers got panicky when we all shouted, and they started throwing some water.
I was shocked that in the wake of water being bought for 1000 per lorry, how
can anyone think of disposing a tree by kindling a forest fire?
They
started getting some more pipes and some small bucket to pour over the fire.
Meanwhile the green trees were fast catching the fire.
I
threatened one of the workers that we are going to catch him and hand over to
the police for starting such a fire in summer, which prompted others into
action. They stared jumping nearer to the fire area and pouring water
collected from the nala!
We were
also asking, who gave them advice to dispose of such a huge tree into
the drainage nala, they
pointed out at the high rise"sir".
Once it
came to some semblance of control, the man from the high rise in charge of such
mighty operation appeared. We lost no time in asking at his plan of setting the
neighbourhood on fire, jeopardizing our homes and trees. He coolly defended
himself by saying he never told the workers do such thing, and he only asked
them to clean.
Clean? By
throwing the tree in the nala and
chocking it? In case of next rain, our colony will get all the mucky water! He
had no answer, but to mumble something else. I had to show restraint, and call
for his good senses and educated status(is he really educated ?), to refrain
from such careless clean ups such things. The worst is , he did not even
apologise!
I found
the workers were more responsible and doused the fire and apologised for what
happened.
Finally,
it irked me that, this is not the first time it happened. Six months
back, we were all carrying buckets of water from our homes and
dousing the fire. for almost one hour!!We did not know then,
who had lit such a fire, now we know who thinks of easy disposals!!!
Just
because, we alerted and no loss took place, does it mean we can brush it
aside?. I wish people were more responsible and realise how a small careless
thoughtless act, might develop into a disaster. And learn to avoid unnecessary loss.
Will
anyone listen, I wonder.
