Bengaluru Civic Body Launches 'Nails Free Trees' Campaign

Bengaluru's civic body has launched the 'Nails Free Trees' campaign to protect the trees from being illtreated in the city.

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike(BBMP) on Wednesday, December 10, launched the initiative to remove unwanted objects including pegs and staple pins that are used to fix advertisements and publicity material on trees.

BBMP Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad during the launch said that despite existing laws to prevent such instances, the trees in the city are increasingly being encroached and have become free advertising space.

He said using trees for the purpose of advertisements would be deemed a criminal offence and invite strict action. He added that neither electric cables nor any kind of strings should be tied to trees.

Bangalore Political Action Committee (BPAC), a citizen advocacy group, has partnered the civic body to conduct the campaign in other areas of the city.

"Trees die a gradual death because of these nails and staple pins as the supply of water and essential minerals gets affected. Though damaging trees in Bengaluru is forbidden by law, it is done with impunity. Hence, we have now decided to pursue criminal action against those resorting to such acts and companies these advertisements are for," said Prasad, reported The New Indian Express.

From PG accommodations, jobs to astrology, advertisements and publicity material have found a convenient resting place on trees, guaranteed to catch eyeballs. However, the pain inflicted on the city's foliage by driving nails into them has now stirred the city civic body into action.

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