BENGALURU: In the light of cutting down of trees for enhancing visibility of hoardings, the Karnataka Lokayukta has passed an order that the forest cell of the BBMP should ensure that none of the trees are cut for advertising.
The order stated, “If anyone causes damage either to the tree or the branches of the tree, it is the duty of the Forest Wing of the BBMP as well as the Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force (BMTF) to take appropriate legal action with the assistance of the jurisdictional police.”
The order clearly instructs the civic authorities to remove hoardings and cancel the permission or licence granted to such agencies.
A few years ago, over 30 trees at Marathahalli were cut down for the clear visibility of the hoardings and earlier this year in March, tree doctor Vijay Nishanth noticed that acid was poured on the trunks of 17 trees, out of which 14 were completely charred. “We revived three trees and the matter is sub-Judice. With this order of the Lokayukta, I am elated that we can save the trees if they are cut just to enhance visibility of advertisement hoardings,” the tree doctor added.
Nishanth further believes that cancelling of the licence of the companies pulling down the trees for the visibility of their advertisements would act as a deterrent.
