BMC plans to strip Salt Lake trees of decorative lights

Kolkata: After removing decorative lights that were wrapped on tree branches in front of different commercial establishments in Salt Lake earlier last year, the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC) is yet again noticing the trend occurring with lights wrapped on tree trunks in front of restaurants and cafes as the authorities will soon take a fresh drive to remove the lights."It has been noticed that some commercial establishments are again wrapping tree branches with decorative lights. Councillors have been given instructions to identify them as a drive will soon be taken up to remove the lights from tree trunks," said BMC MMiC (environment) Rahima Bibi Mondal.It was earlier decided by BMC that no decorative lights could be wrapped on trees for beautification purposes. Environmentalists have been stressing the need to keep trees free from such decorative lights not only for their harmful effects on birds but also for the health of the trees themselves. BMC environment department is also planning to plant medium-size fruit trees in Salt Lake as part of its plantation programme to increase greenery.Officials said that they were looking for suitable land where the plantation drive could be done. "The plan is to plant around 200 fruit trees. We are looking for a suitable plot where the trees could be planted," an official said. Civic officials said that different fruit trees like mango, rose apple, guava, chikoo and others will be planted. "The fruit trees will be planted beside the roads and parks in spots as it becomes available," officials said.It was earlier decided by the civic authorities that from now on only small and medium-size flower and fruit trees would be planted instead of tall varieties to ensure better urban planning and safety, as a number of accidents have recently occurred after tall trees get uprooted and fall on people or vehicles. A few years back, a 40-year-old died after succumbing to injuries a few days after a large dead tree fell on him inside a cluster at Salt Lake's Purbachal housing.BMC environment department authorities earlier cut down several tall trees in different areas of Salt Lake that were either dead or fully damaged. Officials said that the trees had to be cut down as a precautionary measure to prevent accidents.