Scottish and Southern Energy has been praised for “doing the honourable thing” by promising to replace 30,000 crocuses it dug up on the outskirts of Dundee that were planted to highlight an international effort to eradicate polio.
Dundee Rotary clubs had planted the bulbs at the Claypotts junction as part of the Focus On The Crocus campaign to draw attention to sufferers of the fatal disease in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria.
Their purple colour matches the stamp put on the finger of each child given the polio vaccine, and the flowers were due to blossom soon.
It and similar displays around the world signal Rotary International’s efforts to raise $350 million, which would be matched by the Bill Gates Foundation to buy medicines to rid the countries of the disease.
Dundee Rotary Club president Robert Burns was aghast to notice an SSE crew dig up the Claypotts plantation as the crocuses were about to flower, and was angry that the company had apparently not consulted before beginning.
The Courier conveyed the Rotarians’ displeasure to SSE, who said that a high-voltage cable supplying electricity to thousands of homes ran under that land. It developed a fault and had to be repaired immediately.
The company has statutory undertaking rights, giving legal powers to dig up public land without needing the permission of the relevant local authority if works are deemed essential.
Nevertheless, company representatives met the Rotarians on Thursday and apologised.
Mr Burns said, “They have agreed to replace the 30,000 bulbs at their expense and will plant them in the autumn. We are pleased that they are doing the honourable thing and I thank The Courier for highlighting this situation.”