Panchayat polls: Environmentalist urges SEC to remove nails, flags from trees

BALURGHAT: A local environmentalist of Balurghat appealed to the State Election Commission (SEC) to remove nails from trees as party flags belonging to different political parties are usually tied from these nails for poll campaigns for the upcoming rural polls.

Tuhin Subhra Mandal, the environmentalist, on Monday mailed a letter to the SEC through the District Panchayat Election Officer, South Dinajpur regarding the matter.

In his letter, Mandal said: “Panchayat polls are coming up in West Bengal. At this time, the election campaigns of various political parties are at their peak. An alarming picture has come to the fore in different parts of West Bengal as political parties have nailed their party flags on trees as part of their election campaigns. I mailed a letter to the State Election Commission requesting them to take immediate action so that the nails are removed from the trees.”

“Why are trees being crucified like this? Trees cannot communicate their sufferings by speaking in human language. Is nailing a tree justified?” Mandal stated.

He said Article 51-A of the Indian Constitution protects natural resources.

“Aren’t these clauses being violated by the above actions? How long will this endless indifference to the environment continue?” he questioned.

Mandal said the SEC should immediately deliver a direction through the District Panchayat Election Officers of all Bengal districts so that such acts, in the name of the election campaign, are halted.