Defying NGT orders, violators display advertisements on trees; forest department, district administration Patiala fail to check
Kanwar Inder Singh/ January 20,2023
Aam Admi Party (AAP) seems to be no different from other political party in terms of doing violations
Since the party has taken the reins of the state, the workers, leaders are regularly defacing the royal city of Patiala with hoardings at every nook and corner. The city has been dotted with illegal boards, flexes, hoardings.
The supporters of politicians don’t even spare the trees and the illegal affixation of hoardings, flex boards on tress goes unchecked by the forest department, district administration officials. Nails are being hammered into the trees to fix the banners, thus openly flouting the rules.
The hoardings on trees are regularly displayed by flouting norms just opposite the offices of commissioner Patiala division, deputy commissioner, sub divisional magistrate etc. The forest offices are also just a stone throw away from the spot where hoardings are regularly displayed and goes unchecked.
According to an order issued by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in April 2013, trees should not be used to support advertisements or banners. Several times the complaints to the forest department were made, but no action has been taken against the violators. What they do is just removes the flex, never issue any notice to the violator.
When contacted Forest Range officer Patiala Mandeep Singh Dhillon, he said “it’s not in my knowledge that someone has affix flexes on Trees. It’s an offence to affix a hoarding, flex on trees. When asked the violators are regularly putting up hoardings on tress, he said I’ll ask my subordinates to remove them immediately. When asked, is the forest department going to take any action or issue a notice of violation under Forest Act, on this he said “ I’ll issue a letter to my junior , who is looking after this and ask him to check and give reply.”
Defying NGT orders, violators display advertisements on trees; forest department, district administration Patiala fail to check. On this a local resident Rajesh Kumar Verma said “these politicians must set a trend and ask their supporters to not to deface the city. Moreover trees are not meant for advertising. Even the officials are equally responsible for showing laxity in discharging their official duty and fails every time in removing the illegal hoardings, defacing the city. The elected representatives are moving in the city on daily basis. Can’t they direct the concerned authorities to remove them immediately.
Is Patiala MC, Forest department fulfilling its duty responsibly?
(royalpatiala.in News)
