Vice-president of Vasundhara, Jitendra Dalia, in a statement issued here stated that he, along with members of the executive committee, had also met SMC officials, demanding to know as to what action was being taken against those involved in cutting trees for publicity companies that put up hoardings in the city.

Dalia stated that the matter had first come to their notice, when during the Diwali season a number of trees were being cut down outside Vardhaman Apartments and Ashirwad Society, near Navyug College, on the pretext that they were obstructing widening of roads. It was later known that hoardings were being accommodated in their place, Dalia alleged.

Making a suggestion to the municipal commissioner, the organisation said that while it was a welcome sign that the SMC had issued a notice to the trustees of the Naginchand Hall at Andrews Library for putting up hoardings that overshadowed the historical structure, similar charges should be extracted from all those private parties which allowed hoardings to be set up beside their properties. This, they said, would not only increase SMC's income, but would also discourage those cutting trees for commercial gains.

A copy of the letter to the SMC commissioner has been sent to the State Environment Minister Kanji Patel, the statement added.