Nagpur: Four years in a row, trees cut to let hoarding be seen

NAGPUR: It’s been six years since the environmentally conscious citizens are fighting a lone battle to protect green cover in their area. However, for the fourth time in as many years, trees planted and nurtured by them at Laxmi Nagar square have been mercilessly cut, allegedly by advertising mafia to ensure better visibility of its hoardings.
It first happened in July 2017, TOI first reported that a fully-grown almond tree that among those planted by local medical shop owners and fruit sellers was poisoned by pouring acid on its roots.First chopped-off from the crown, the tree was suspected to have been killed on the sly to ensure a clear view of a huge advertisement hoarding placed on a corner of the square.
Since then, every time the citizens replant trees at the same spot, they get chopped off late in the night. Last year, two trees of Gulmohar and sheesham replanted by the citizens were found brutally chopped off one morning.
After that, the group had again planted roadside trees but in vain. This week, they were shocked to find one of the sheesham trees had met the same fate as its precursors. “We have been planting trees in front of our shops with an intention of greening the barren roadside. We go out of the way to ensure their healthy growth and survival, we water them regularly and even installed tree guards. But for the fourth time, trees nurtured by us have been destroyed,” said medical shop owner Sandeep Rane.
He informed the miscreants tried to cut other trees too. “They however failed as there was material of a nearby fruit seller kept near the trees,” he added.
Environment activist Shrikant Deshpande has filed a complaint with the officials of Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s garden department who have assured to take action. Last year too, the officials had conducted a spot panchanama but no action was taken.
Citizens and activists have alleged an “advertising mafia” in the city was behind the repeated illegal tree felling. “There are at least 200 spots in the city where trees have been cut in recent times to ensure better visibility of hoardings. The fact that trees are being cut at the same spot again and again proves it is the job of advertising agency,” said Deshpande.
The activist will now be filing a police complaint. “NMC officials should use the CCTV footage catch the offenders and punish them. Such agencies should be blacklisted and their licences cancelled,” Deshpande said adding that the high court should also take cognizance of the matter.