Court orders FIR over disfiguring of trees

Damaging trees by stapling or nailing posters to them could land you in jail.

Sending out a strong message to the poster mafia that thrives in Bengaluru, the 7th ACMM court on Monday ordered the Sadashivanagar police to convert an NCR (Non-Cognisable Report) into an FIR against people who nailed posters and pamphlets to trees along New BEL Road in northern Bengaluru.

A representative of a Bengaluru-based NGO, Save Green, had filed a police complaint against paying guest accommodation owners for nailing posters to roadside trees. Preeya Narayan had initially called on a phone number given on the poster and tried explaining to them about the damage to the trees.

But the person who returned the call allegedly threatened her claiming that he is related to an MLA and that he cannot be intimidated. But Preeya remained unfazed and approached the police who opened an NCR case.

Preeya’s struggle received a shot in the arm when the police referred the NCR case to the court. Giving a boost to tree protection activism in the city, the court ordered the police to convert the NCR into an FIR.

“We request the offenders to stop harming the trees. The BBMP has also supported our cause. We keep a record of habitual offenders and when they don’t listen, we file a complaint against them regardless of their background,” Hemanth K, a member of the NGO, said.

What does law say?

The Prevention of Disfigurement Act, 1981, says: “Whoever, by himself or through another person affixes to, or erects inscribes or exhibits on, any place open to public view any advertisement without the written permission of the local authority having jurisdiction over such area, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to six months or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees.”