Following backlash, PMC drops artificial trees plans for G20 summit

The trees were to be rented for ₹15 lakhs from a contractor in Pimpri-Chinchwad, which attracted criticism

After drawing flack for its proposal, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has shelved plans of installing at least 100 artificial trees illuminated with bulbs along four city roads to welcome visitors to the G20 summit in January.

The props were to be visible from Airport Road to Senapati Bapat Road, with a few leading from Swargate to Tilak Road. (HT PHOTO)

The trees were to be rented for ₹15 lakhs from a contractor in Pimpri-Chinchwad, which attracted criticism.

Srinivas Kandul, chief engineer, Electrical Department, PMC said: “Due to overwhelming negative response from the citizens over the artificially illuminated trees, we are not going ahead with the project. We do activities for the people, so we will not use any government money on things that they are heavily against. If anyone wants to set up an artificially illuminated tree, then they can do it themselves.”

The department had chosen not to purchase the trees in order to avoid theft and maintenance costs and instead take them on rent.

The props were to be visible from Airport Road to Senapati Bapat Road, with a few leading from Swargate to Tilak Road.

Citizens, on the other hand, were miffed by the proposal, with many claiming that it does not beautify the city and instead ‘creates the illusion’ that it is environmentally friendly.

Earlier Sumita Kale, an economist, and co-founder of Deccan Gymkhana Parisar Samiti, had said, “It just seems ironic to me that the PMC, which usually does not do anything about growing trees and is happy to knock them down on the pretext of expanding roads, is setting up artificial trees. It simply means they find it pleasing to the eye. The civic body, however, is overlooking the value and benefits of planting real trees by spending a lot of money to borrow these trees. Any beautification they do falls under the purview of the Smart City, but only certain areas of the city are prioritised.”

Another citizen, Swati Pednekar, had also suggested that the PMC instead include more participatory activities for the locals. “They didn’t even bring up this proposal in public. Pune’s beautification should be in keeping with the city’s culture. “Putting up fake trees is not the way,” she explained.

“There is still time; they can easily get citizens involved in environmentally friendly activities such as planting potted plants in places where trees have been uprooted, cleaning up and having vertical gardens, asking people to donate plants, and so on.”