BENGALURU: Trees in the city have become a free advertising space for many, and to put an end to the menace, the BBMP chief on Wednesday launched a campaign, Nails Free Trees, and warned offenders of criminal action.Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad said that despite laws to protect them, trees are being ill-treated in the city. “Criminal action will be taken against those who staple and nail pamphlets on trees.
Those tying cables and wires on trees too will face action,” he warned.He launched the campaign, being carried out by BPac in association with BBMP, by removing nails from trees at Shivananda Circle near Chitrakala Parishath.
Over the last two weeks, a group of tree-loving Bengalureans is also carrying out a parallel campaign to remove nails and staples from trees. They visit public places during weekends and pull out the nails and proceed to file criminal cases against advertisers.
The commissioner said that nails make trees weak, leading to their death eventually. “Nails deprive trees of water and other essential minerals. Criminal cases will be filed against people and companies putting up advertisement pamphlets on trees,” he added. The BBMP asked citizens to join the campaign to remove nails and also to identify the culprits.