Berhampur: Close to 750 nails hammered into trees to put up advertisements have been removed to save the trees from virtual crucifixion during a month-long drive named ‘Mun Bi Banchibaku Chahen’ (I too wish to live) launched by ‘Sabuja Vahini’, a social organisation.
Some business firms and institutions often select roadside tress to put up their advertisements. In their effort to attract the attention of passersby, they nail posters and banners onto the trees, without giving a second thought to the harmful effects nails cause to the trees.
When a tree is nailed, a chemical reaction takes place hampering its food chain process. Besides, the punctures allow air and water to seep into the tree. Sometimes, insects also find a passage to get into the pith of the tree. And all these make the tree weak and later on cause its death.
As nailed trees become weaker and weaker, they fail to withstand even a gust of wind as it has been witnessed in Berhampur during cyclones.
When a cyclone makes a landfall at Gopalpur, as it is a general occurrence, it is Berhampur that suffers the most. Every year, hundreds of trees are uprooted under the impact of the cyclones. And most of these uprooted trees are found to be the nailed ones.
While various steps are being taken by the government as well as private organisations to replenish the greenery of the city, Sabuja Vahini has identified the harmful effects of driving nails into trees and with the support of the forest department launched the campaign ‘Mun Bi Banchibaku Chahen’ September 23. Later some other organisations joined in.
In a month’s time since its launching, 50 nails and five advertisements have been removed from 11 trees located near Ramlingam Pond, 134 nails and two banners from 28 trees from near Haridakhandi Pond, 73 nails and eight advertisements from 41 trees from the Gandhinagar main road, 451 nails and 34 advertisements from 270 trees from the MKCG Medical College and Hospital premises and 41 nails and four advertisements from 50 trees located in First Gate area.
Most importantly, locals including laundry and garage owners and workers and cloth merchants have joined in the movement to protect the trees. “The initiative taken by Sabuja Bahini is laudable. And we feel satisfied by extending our support for the cause of environment in general and for the safety of trees in particular,” observed elated Santosh Kumar Sahu, Santosh Patra and Duryodhan Sethy.
Describing the success of the campaign so far, president of Sabuja Bahini, Shibaram Panigrahi, said the drive is receiving positive response from all quarters. Commoners are joining the drive every day and 750 nails and 50 advertisements have so far been removed from 400 trees in the last one month. After removing nails, the trees are being treated by botanists, he said, adding the campaign has already taken the shape of a movement in this city within a month since its launching.
PNN
