Kolkata Municipal Corporation’s tree ambulance has removed 25 illegal advertising boards from trees in Middleton Row and adjoining areas, as the civic body expands a drive against nails, commercial displays and decorative lights damaging trees across the city’s Central Business District.
The mobile service, launched by KMC last year, was sent to Middleton Row after several full-grown trees were found carrying boards advertising paying guest accommodations and private tutorial centres. The operation was carried out with Mithri Mitti, an NGO that has an agreement with the civic body to operate the tree ambulance and care for ailing trees.
Sanjay Jaisingh of Mithri Mitti said the team had communicated to advertisers that trees could not be used as billboards. The service is intended to provide diagnosis, treatment, relocation, planting and public awareness for trees in different localities.
A KMC parks department official said some advertisers had again begun fixing boards to trees in the Park Street-Middleton Street-Camac Street belt. The civic body has identified several major thoroughfares where the practice has continued for a long period and has served notices seeking the removal of nails and commercial displays.
The first phase of the drive covers Shakespeare Sarani, Camac Street, Wood Street and Sadar Street. Traders in these areas have been asked to remove commercial boards and decorative lights fixed to trees. KMC has also assigned its parks department to remove decorative lighting from trees following protests by citizens and environmentalists.
A KMC lighting official said the next phase would cover major thoroughfares in the Ballygunge-Rashbehari Avenue belt. The civic body’s action follows concerns that restaurant and other commercial establishments use illuminated trees to attract customers. Horticulturist Ranjit Samanta said attaching decorative lights often involved nailing trees and could cause irreversible damage.
The lighting has also raised concerns for birds that shelter in mature trees at night. The civic operation therefore covers both physical damage caused by nails and the removal of lighting installed on trees in commercial areas.
Residents can contact the tree ambulance through the toll-free helpline 18001236219 for free tree-maintenance-related assistance in their locality. KMC’s phased drive will continue with the removal of boards, nails and decorative lights from the identified roads.
