Danishwar Hameed
Despite a ban on putting advertisements over Chinar trees by the Jammu Kashmir administration, several advertisements and signboards have come up in the south Kashmir’s Kulgam district.
Eyewitnesses told The Kashmiriyat that many advertisements from coaching centres and other private establishments have come up on the main road in Bogund to the Kulgam town in the south Kashmir district.
Pertinently, Jammu Kashmir administration has banned the installing of advertisements, signboards and other allied materials on chinars. However, in a violation of the ban, on the way from Bogund, there is hardly a Chinar tree where one does not find an advertisement board, either of a coaching centre or a private clinic.
As per an order issued by the Department of Industries and Commerce: “The General Secretary. JK Society for Trekking and environmental Preservation Srinagar vide their communication NO JK/STEP/54/19 dated 11.06.2019 has brought into the notice of this office that Schools Coaching institutions, Industrial units and others are making injudicious use of Sign boards and other allied materials by way of fixing them on the chinar trees which consequently damages them and also deserts natural beauty of the tree.”
Months later, authorities in Jammu Kashmir had ordered a total ban on nailing advertisement hoardings on trees of the species, in a bid to save the heritage Chinar from getting extinct.
The ban has been ordered by the divisional commissioner as the mushrooming coaching and tuition centres, besides traders, had nailed their advertising hoardings on the trees, however, the efforts of the admin seem to be half hearted.