Aaditya Thackeray announces new rules for hoardings across Mumbai

Aaditya Thackeray

Hours after mid-day ran a front page report on how trees were being cut outside a Worli school to promote a Swachh Bharat hoarding, Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray on Tuesday announced the framing of new rules for advertisements and hoardings. Speaking to the media, the Yuva Sena chief said stern action will be taken against those responsible for the killing of trees on the Worli seafront.

Aware that hoardings and banners were an issue of concern, especially with trees being chopped for better visibility and publicity, Aaditya said, "New draft and guidelines will be made to streamline and address the issue." Thackeray's statement came in response to a question about trees been brutally chopped in his assembly constituency. mid-day on Tuesday had reported about how trees were being poisoned and axed for better visibility of Swachh Bharat hoardings put up on the Worli seafront. BMC has registered an FIR and also initiated action against those responsible for the act.

"I have asked the agencies concerned to take stern action against those responsible. No one will be spared in this case," he said. Meanwhile, the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has claimed that they are not happy with the action and that BMC should reveal the names of the people who are responsible for chopping down the trees. They have further demanded that the erring advertising agency should be barred from putting up hoardings anywhere in the city as a punishment.

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