BMC starts taking down decorative lights from trees across Salt Lake
Times of India | 6 February 2024
Kolkata: The Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has started removing the decorative lights that were wrapped up on tree trunks and branches by commercial establishments in several places across Salt Lake. Environmentalists said that it was extremely necessary to keep trees away from such decorative lights not only for their harmful effects on birds but also for the health of the trees themselves.
Local councillors have been asked to identify and inform the BMC environment department as the civic body has taken a stance that no decorative lights could be wrapped on trees for beautification and eye-catching purposes.
Civic officials said that it was okay if once in a while a decorative light is put up on a tree for only a few hours for any social event, but lights cannot be wrapped on trees for days or months on a long-term basis. “We have started removing the lights from the trees. The matter has been passed in the civic body’s board of councillors that decorative lights could not be wrapped up on trees,” said BMC MMIC (environment) Rahima Bibi Mondol.
Civic officials said that no fines are being levied as of now, but there are plans to impose fines on repeat offenders. “As of now we are removing the lights from the trees by ourselves. The lights will be returned to the establishments who had wrapped them on the trees if they give us a letter asking for the lights,” said a BMC official.
In the last few years post Covid, many commercial establishments in Salt Lake, especially newly set up cafes and restaurants, were wrapping large tree trunks and branches on the roadside infront the establishments with bright decorative lights to draw eyeballs after dark.
“The bright lights on the trees greatly disturbs the biological clock of birds, insects and others living on the trees. This leads to hormonal imbalance among them and the rate of reproduction gets affected and reduced as they, particularly insects, are very temperature sensitive,” said Debashis Karmokar, a zoology professor.
“Trees have their own biodiversity and life circle. There are hormones which are needed for development of a plant which depend on particular light hours. Having lights on trees in the night disturbs the tree’s day and night cycle and has detrimental effects,” said environment scientist Swati Nandi Chakraborty.
Civic officials said that even nailing on trees to put up any board is also not allowed.
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