As we all know, 2023 will be a proud year for Indians as the nation will host the G20 Presidency and host the G20 Leaders’ Summit for the first time in its history.
In order to accommodate G-20 attendees, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) decided to put LED lights in 15,000 trees along five roadways. This decision riled environmentalists who believed the fixtures will hurt the trees and upset nocturnal fauna. Iqbal Singh Chahal, the municipal commissioner, said that the lights will not emit heat and have a nearly zero LUX level and will also consume very less electricity. From May 23 to 25, the city will host the 2nd meeting of the G-20 Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group.
Environmentalists are incensed by the Mumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) decision to illuminate trees along the routes the guests will take from the airport as the city prepares to host G-20 delegates later this month.
Municipal commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal stated in a statement to the Hindustan Times that the topic of lighting 15,000 trees on five significant roadways was addressed with higher officials because he wanted Mumbai to appear better. He also suggested that the lights be bought rather than rented so that they could be left on the trees all year.
As soon as this news was out, environmentalists claimed that the heat or the fittings will harm the trees in some way or the other.
Many of them gave their verdict, stating that lights can emit heat which is harmful for trees. Some also mentioned that trees are a resting place for birds, and heat can definitely disturb them, and that needs to be avoided.
These points need to be kept in mind as they are very important.
This Mumbai beautification plan was recently discussed with Devendra Fadnavis, the Deputy Chief Minister, where he also brought up the media criticism of nails being drilled in trees before the G-20 members’ visit to Nagpur in March, according to sources at Mantralaya.