ROADSIDE TREES (Monitoring of condition)

Mr Chin Harn Tong asked the Minister for National Development whether his Ministry has monitored the condition of roadside trees with a view to cutting down old and diseased trees before they are likely to be uprooted in a storm thereby causing injury to people or damage to property.

The Senior Minister of State for National Development (Dr Lee Boon Yang) (for the Minister for National Development): Mr Speaker, Sir, the answer is yes. The Parks and Recreation Department thoroughly inspects all mature trees of girth 1.5 metres and above along roadsides and in parks. Mature trees are checked at least once every 18 months and for very large old trees, at least once a year. Trees which are diseased, unstable or are liable to cause injury or damage to property are removed.