PMC launches drive to root out signs on trees

PUNE, MAY 20: The Pune Municipal Corporation is on a tree clean-up drive. On Saturday, responding to protests by a neighbourhood citizens’ body, it removed as many as 80 signboards nailed to trees along various roads in Aundh. Aundh Vikas Mandal, a local non-governmental organisation (NGO), had asked the civic administration to take punitive action, pointing out that nailing of signboards or banners to trees was not only unauthorised but also injured the trees.

Talking to The Indian Express, Mandal Secretary, Kishor Lasure, said that Municipal Commissioner Ramanath Jha had accepted the NGO’s arguments and asked the garden department to do the needful.On Saturday morning, the garden department staff and volunteers of the Mandal swung into action, removing unauthorised signboards nailed to trees along Raj Bhavan Road, ITI Road and various by-lanes in the Aundh municipal ward. There was no resistance to the drive.

Among the law-breakers whose posters were removed was the city civic body’s own Pune Municipal Transport.