Trees to be made ad-free

KOCHI: The corporation will take strict action against the advertisers who are using trees to promote their products. Initially all advertisement materials nailed on the trees will be removed and the corporation is planning to seek the help of the police and various residential associations to effectively carry out the tree-cleaning campaign. “The Town Planning Committee has already given instructions to the employees to collect the data on the number of trees on which illegal flex hoardings are mounted or nailed. In some of these advertisements, the contact numbers are displayed. The corporation officials will dial these numbers and ask them to remove the hoardings,” said Kochi Corporation Town Planning Standing Committee chairman K J Sohan.If those who had erected the hoardings are not ready to remove them, then the civic body will initiate action against them. “We will consult the police to see whether  legal action can be taken against such violators,” Sohan added.Sohan  said that apart from removing the hoardings and billboards from the trees, the corporation will soon launch green initiatives, including planting of more trees. “Along with the planting of new saplings, we will also focus on protecting the existing trees,” Sohan said.