Following HC notice, BMC begins to remove decorative lights from trees

The decorative lights had drawn the ire of the environmentalists and residents who had raised concerns over its impact on the trees and the nocturnal animals.

Besides this, the beautification project had also drawn flak for the high costs incurred in the installation and maintenance of the lights.

Last week, the Bombay HC directed the state government, BMC and municipal corporations of Thane and Mira Bhayander to file an affidavit in reply to a public interest litigation (PIL) by activist Rohit Manohar Joshi, which mentioned the ill effects of putting artificial lights on trees and nocturnal organisms during festivities and other occasions.

In light of the HC rap, senior officials have directed the ward offices across the city to remove the decorative lights from the trees. However, senior civic officers maintained that no official circulars have been issued directing the wards to do the same.

With the civic directives, some of the 24 wards across the city have started removing the lights, albeit in a hush.
The decorative lights were being installed as a part of the chief minister’s Mumbai Beautification Project, which has been taken up since December 2022.

According to experts, the decorative light disrupts the circadian rhythm of the plants as well as affects their ability to carry out photosynthesis, a process through which they convert light energy into chemical energy to fuel their activity.