STOMPer khalif caught these people stealing the mangoes from this tree this morning in Pasir Ris. One of them uses a long stick to knock the mangoes off while the other picks them up and put them in a plastic bag.
He said:
"I saw them at Block 714 in Pasir Ris.
"I was speechless when I saw what they were doing.
"They were using a long stick to knock the mangoes off the tree!
"I don't think they should have been done that because the tree is considered the government's property.
"The town council should take action and not let people do this again."
Aljunied Town Council says the decision to prune the trees was made because they had received reports from residents living in the block that the overgrown trees were a safety hazard.
This is in reply to an earlier article where STOMPer Patrick Tan had asked why the trees in Block 613 in Bedok Reservoir Road were cut 'botak'.
A spokesperson for Aljunied Town Council said:
"We thank the STOMPer for the comment on 6 May 2010 about the trees that were trimmed at Block 613 Bedok Reservoir Road.
"Residents of Blk 613A Bedok Reservoir Road had earlier reported to the Aljunied Town Council about overgrown trees and that their branches were growing too near to the building facade, causing insects to get into their homes.
"In addition, they said the branches of these rain trees often snap after a heavy downpour. Hence, for the safety of all residents, the Town Council decided to prune the 3 trees.
"We welcome feedback from residents as this will make Aljunied GRC a better home for everyone. Residents may also give us feedback at telephone 6744-1033 any time during normal office hours, or through iLink @ Aljunied GRC."
STOMPer Patrick Tan wonders why these trees were cut 'botak' by the town council as they provide shade for the residents.
The STOMPer said in an email:
"I was surprised to see that the trees which provide shade for residents at Block 613, Bedok Reservoir Road, were cut 'botak'.
"These trees were providing people with good shade at the fitness corner and jogging track.
"I don't understand why the town council decided to cut them 'botak'.
STOMPer Weak heart claims that he prays for divine protection every time he crosses this bridge as the plants are so overgrown that he fears that snakes or spiders might slither out and attack him.
In his email to STOMP, the STOMPer wrote:
"These pictures were taken at the overhead pedestrian bridge that links the Ghim Moh HDB estate to East Sussex Lane.
"This bridge spans the KTM land and I have to pray for divine protection each time I cross this bridge.
"The branches from the trees hang down until they almost reach your head and the bougainvillea plants grow until part of the bridge is blocked.
"I always have this morbid fear of snakes and spiders slithering down the branches to attack my head and body.
"My fear is compounded when the sun sets and the street lamps are turned on.
"I hope the branches can be trimmed off to allay my fear of creepy slimy creatures that lurk in the branches especially at night."
Many of the trees that line the pathway at Jurong Park Connector have been stricken with disease and are in danger of dying out, says STOMPer Rambler, who is worried about the state of the park.
These trees are important to park users as they provide shade for those walking or jogging along, he says.
In an email, Rambler says:
"Last week I went for a ramble at the Jurong Park Connector, which begins at the Jurong Town Hall Rd and ending at Yuan Ching Rd.
"To my surprise, I noticed that the trees look unhealthy and stunted.
"I went nearer to take a closer look and found that the leaves had yellow and black "bubbles" on the surface.
"The leaves must have been infected by some disease which I hope the arborists in NParks could enlighten me about.
"NParks officials could do something to save these trees as they provide shade for joggers and ramblers who love the fresh air at Jurong Lake."
STOMPer Timid heart trembles whenever he crosses this overhead bridge near Block 288D Bukit Batok East Ave 6 because he thinks that unknown insects might be lurking in this mango tree's branches.
The STOMPer wrote in an email to STOMP:
"Whenever I cross this bridge, I have an ominous feeling that some spiders, worms, caterpillars or snakes might be lurking in the branches.
"The branches of this mango tree have grown until they touch the railings and this compounds my fear of creepy crawling insects.
"From young I have been arachnophobic, scoleciphobic and ophidiophobic and I hope LTA will send its workers to cut off these protruding branches."
STOMPer Poh claims that this tree, planted by Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, has been removed from its location at the East Coast Seafood Centre.
This STOMPer says:
"This tree at East Coast Seafood Centre was removed two days ago.
"Why was it removed?
"It was planted by Mr. Lee Kuan Yew in 1972 during the second Tree-planting Day.
"Could the National Parks Board please explain this?"
STOMPer Trekker noticed these 'botak' trees and wonders if they are weaker and more prone to collapsing during rainstorms.
He says:
"These pictures were taken near the junction of Jurong West Ave 2 and Jurong West Ave 3.
"This tree is devoid of leaves and only ferns are growing on the trunk and branches.
"If there is a rainstorm this tree might collapse and this poses a danger to pedestrians.
"This vehicle registration number plate was found hanging on a tree and a lorry was parked nearby. I wonder how it got there."
These tall bougainvillea plants are a sight to behold, says STOMPer dask299, who sent in pictures of the beautiful blooms.
This STOMPer says:
"These beautiful blooms were seen at West Coast Ferry Road.
"View it before it withers up."
If you are looking to park your vehicle for free at the coffeeshop in Jurong West Central, then you better start hoping that that the overgrown trees here will grow more and cover the prohibitory sign by the road.
According to STOMPer ex-cabby, a cabby he spoke to has made plans to pray for the tree to grow at a faster rate so that he does not have to park at the only multi-storey carpark 20 metres away.
In an email, ex-cabby says:
"This picture was taken at Blk 679, Jurong West Central 1, where I was sipping coffee with a group of cabby friends at a coffee shop.
"One cabby told me that he had to park his cab on level four of a multi-storey carpark, which is 20m away and walk down a long flight of steps to reach the coffee shop.
"I pointed out to him that on the road outside the shop, the signboard which reads: 'VEHICLES PARKED ILLEGALLY WILL BE TOWED AWAY', is partially covered with leaves on the crown of the tree.
"Immediately he told me that for the next two weeks he will visit the shrine near the coffeeshop to pray for the tree to grow faster and produce a more luxuriant canopy so that the signboard will be covered and hence every one will have free parking on the road which is just beside the coffee shop.
"Perhaps he believes in divine power and the efficacy of his powerful prayers."
STOMPer Hawk's eye thinks that the branches and leaves are stripped off these trees along Changi Coast Road for safety reasons, due to their proximity to the Changi Airport.
In an email sent to STOMP last night (Sep 28), the STOMPer wrote:
"As I was driving along Changi Coast Road, I was puzzled when I looked at the trees in the forest just across the canal.
"For almost a stretch of 500m, some of the trees appeared to be tall stumps without a crown on top.
"Suddenly it dawned on me that the trees were close to the Changi Airport and that the crowns of the trees could be hazardous to aerial navigation.
"It must have cost a colossal sum of money to employ a contractor to cut down the top of those trees.
"However, safety overrides the cost of cutting and that is why the trees are 'botak'."
