Defying high court order, Kalyan-Dombivli hawkers install LEDs on trees

Despite the Bombay High Court order prohibiting using trees for commercial or decorative purposes blatant violations are occurring across the KalyanDombivli Municipal Corporation KDMC areaFrom banners and lighting fixtures to nails and wires hammered into tree trunks these acts are not only illegal but also environmentally destructive mdash yet municipal enforcement remains lacklustreRules ignored roads encroachedOn busy roads such as the Phadke Road hawkers are seen using roadside trees to hang clothes using ropes and nails On Tilak Road near Brahman Sabha a local Chinese food stall has adorned trees with lighting while nearby hardware shops have followed suit None of these installations have been authorised by the KDMCThese activities violate the Maharashtra Urban Areas Protection and Preservation of Trees Act and more critically defy the high court ruling that bans any damage or modification to public trees including affixing objects or lighting However violations continue unchecked in the absence of routine monitoring or strict penaltiesMunicipal departments like the garden department and encroachment department appear reactive rather than proactive mdash only initiating action when complaints are filed Mahesh Deshpande from the KDMCrsquos garden department admitted that while such activities are banned enforcement is slow ldquoOften the contact numbers given on the banners are fake The process involves issuing a notice first and then imposing a fine mdash itrsquos not quickrdquo he saidPolitics adds to the problemRupali Shaiwale from Paryavaran Dakshata Mandal Surekha Joshi from environmentalist Activist Anil Mokal from Swachh Dombivli AbhiyanPolitical parties further exacerbate the issue Before and after rallies or events city streets are filled with banners and posters mdash many of which remain long after the event is over These displays are often put up without permission from KDMC and are rarely removed promptly The selective enforcement especially when it comes to political actors reflects a worrying double standardEnvironmentalists sound alarmEnvironmental advocates are deeply concerned about the growing trend of using trees for decorative lighting during festivals Rohit Joshi an environmentalist from Thane emphasised ldquoAccording to the law harming a tree in any way is akin to killing it It is a punishable offence As per the HC order local municipal corporations are dutybound to take strict action against offendersrdquoRohit Joshi environmentalistRupali Shaiwale from Paryavaran Dakshata Mandal Dombivli explained the ecological dangers ldquoLighting on trees disrupts their growth damages their bark and harms the birds and insects that inhabit them The intense LED lights disturb their natural biological cycles The biodiversity that depends on these trees is being destroyed in the name of aestheticsrdquoSurekha Joshi another environmentalist remarked ldquoAs festival season begins trees are the first to suffer Nails are hammered into them lighting is strung along branches and their natural structure is damaged Due to concrete layering around the base water no longer reaches the roots weakening them Trees are collapsing during monsoons because of this neglect The court has issued clear orders yet authorities continue to turn a blind eyerdquoActivist Anil Mokal from Swachh Dombivli Abhiyan and Vivekanand Seva Mandal called the situation ldquodeeply frustratingrdquo and urged municipal officials to stop dragging their feet ldquoIf wersquore serious about being a smart city we must first be a green cityrdquo he saidCall for urgent uniform actionCurrently the responsibility for addressing these issues lies with KDMCrsquos encroachment department which is expected to escalate such matters to assistant commissioners and department heads However delays and lack of coordination have resulted in weak enforcement Civic activists and citizens alike are calling for stricter penalties realtime monitoring and a robust mechanism to deter repeat offenders