Acid, mercury

\SLokmat news network

Nagpur, Oct 18

nHoarding kills 200 trees across city

n Ad agencies behind ill-advised practice.

n Political influence prevents effective action against violators.

Trees which concel advertisement hoardings under their lush foliage are burnt down either by pouring acid on them or injecting mercury into their trunk.

In this way, more than 200 trees are killed in various parts of the city so far.

Acid is poured if the trees are smaller while mercury used for killing bigger trees.

Only recently, a big tree was killed overnight at Laxminagar. A an owner of a pharmacy shop at Laxminagar said such incidents have also occurred on four to five occasions in the past.

The objective of killing the trees so brutally is to enhance the appeal of advertising hoardings.

Shrikant Deshpande who is fighting against illegal felling of trees said in a similar fashion; eight trees were burnt down on hockey ground opposite Hislop college.

These trees were planted by Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), he said and added that he has strengthened the voice of environmentalists against illegal cutting of rees.

The trees near Bole Petrol pump, Ravinagar Square and inside RTMNU campus, Manewada Square, Hingna T-point are also killed in a similar fashion.

Meanwhile, Shrikant Deshpande alleged that the men working for ad agencies cut down the trees in the night.

Violators exercise

political influence

Shrikant Deshpande said he lodged a complained with the Garden Department of NMC. However, no action was taken.

He has also warned of filing a petition in the court against the practice.

He further said that Garden Department of NMC is aware of this ill-advised method of cutting trees. However, following political influence used by advertising agences, no strict action is contemplated against them, he said,