Man booked in Pune for wrapping artificial lights around trees

The complaint was filed by Rajesh Vasave, assistant garden superintendent, PCMC at Nigdi police station on Friday evening

The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has filed a First Information Report (FIR) against a Nigdi resident for putting up decorative lights on trees despite the ban and affecting the health and life cycle of the flora.

The accused had allegedly wrapped multiple artificial lights in front of his bungalow causing defacement of public property. (HT PHOTO)

The complaint was filed by Rajesh Vasave, assistant garden superintendent, PCMC at Nigdi police station on Friday evening. The accused has been identified as Sanjay Tiwari, a resident of Brij Bhawan bungalow in Nigdi. Tiwari earlier this month between, November 4 and 17 had allegedly wrapped multiple artificial lights in front of his bungalow causing defacement of public property and causing harm to the trees.

Ranjit Sawant, senior police inspector attached to Nigdi police station, informed that the complaint has been filed by the PCMC staff against the accused for violating the Defacement of Property Act and environmental norms.

“We have booked the accused under section 3 (Whoever by himself or through any other person defaces any place open to public view) of Maharashtra Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, 1995 and section 15(failure to comply with or contravenes to any provisions of the Act) of The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. No arrest has been made and the Investigations are under process,” said Sawant.

However, green activists who had raised the issue with the civic body are unhappy as the accused was not booked under the stringent norms of the Protection & Preservation of Trees Act 1975.

Prashant Raul, a green activist who has also complained about the same to the PCMC, Chief Minister, and Prime Minister’s office, said the action taken is not justified.

“There was a need to book the accused under the stringent norms of the Protection & Preservation of Trees Act 1975. I had personally requested the accused to stop wrapping the trees with the lights, but he was not ready to listen. The use of artificial lights has largely increased and people are wrapping trees and plants with decorative lights. The PCMC should act sensibly,” he said.