Political festoons, banners & flakes causing ‘visual pollution’ in Balurghat

BALURGHAT: Polling for the Balurghat Lok Sabha constituency took place on April 26. However, even more than a week later, remnants of political campaigns such as banners, flags, flakes and festoons continue to clutter various locations in South Dinajpur district, including Balurghat town. This persistence has sparked protests from community organisations, environmental groups and concerned citizens, who demand immediate action from political parties to rid the district, particularly Balurghat town, of visual pollution.

Tuhin Shubhra Mondal, a prominent environmentalist in Balurghat, emphasised the urgency of the situation, stating: “We are urging political parties through the media to promptly remove campaign materials which are contributing to visual pollution. If there is no response to our appeal, we will escalate the matter to the local administration on behalf of environmental organisations.” Jishnu Niyogi, a well-known figure in Balurghat’s theater scene, criticised the negligence of political parties, remarking: “Political parties prioritise their own interests, ignoring the environmental impact of their campaign paraphernalia. It’s disheartening to witness banners, flakes, festoons and flags littering Balurghat even after the elections. Immediate action is necessary to alleviate visual pollution.”

Subhash Chaki, Trinamool Congress South Dinajpur District coordinator, defended his party’s actions, stating: “We are diligently following the directives of the National Election Commission. While some campaign materials remain, we have already removed 90 per cent of them from South Dinajpur district, including Balurghat town. The remaining items will be cleared promptly. Our priority is to maintain the cleanliness of the city and district. Trinamool Congress is committed to complying with the Election Commission’s guidelines, distinguishing us from other parties.”

In response, Pintu Sarkar, BJP’s South Dinajpur district vice-president, affirmed their adherence to the Election Commission’s instructions, saying: “The BJP is fully compliant with the Election Commission’s directives. We have begun the process of removing our campaign banners, flags, and festoons from Balurghat town and throughout South Dinajpur district. Allegations of negligence from environmental groups are baseless, as we are actively addressing the issue of visual pollution.”