ULB bans installation of high-mast lights in Haryana parks to save ecosystem, natural habitat of bird species

Mukesh Tandon

Panipat, August 24

The Urban Local Body (ULB) Directorate banned the installation of high-mast lights and streetlights in parks under municipalities, green belts across the state to save the birds’ natural habitat and ecosystem.

No lights to be installed on trees

The lighting coverage in 100 per cent of green spaces to be discouraged, usage and installation of high- mast lights, floodlights, high-illumination lights in the parks, green belts to be discontinued with immediate effect. Further no lights to be installed on the trees.

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The Director, ULB, issued guidelines to all district municipal commissioners, MC Commissioners and CEOs of the Municipal Councils in the state for restricting the use and installation of high-mast lights, streetlights in the parks and green belts.

A letter said the municipalities in the state were installing lights such as high-mast lights, streetlights, fancy lights having high-illumination effects in the parks, green belts and other open green spaces.

The use of the high-illumination lights as well as the high-mast lights affected the natural ecosystem and made the habitat of birds unsafe and other species living in that particular area.

The ULB Director directed that all municipalities would have to obtain the national lighting code for planning, designing and installation of lights on roads and parks.

The lighting coverage in 100 per cent of green spaces was to be discouraged, usage and installation of high-mast lights, floodlights, high-illumination lights in the parks, green belts was also to be discontinued with immediate effect. Further no lights were to be installed on the trees.

The luminaries if required was to be installed at the ground level or on a mounted low concrete blocks for better aesthetics in the parks and green belts. Focus lights for plants in parks or green spaces were to be switched off by 10 pm every day.

Rahul Punia, Executive Engineer, MC, Panipat, said a letter from the directorate about the ban on the installation of high-mast lights, flood lights, fancy lights in the parks and green belts had been received and would be complied by accordingly.

Dr Deepak Rai Babbar, Chairperson, Department of Zoology, Kurukshetra University, said these high-mast lights, fancy lights, streetlights near the trees, parks and green belts had disturbed the natural ecosystem of the birds.

Due to excess use of these lights, the temperature had gone up directly affecting the life cycle of the birds, eggs ovulation and the natural hatching process of the birds, he said.

Some species like owls have night vision and maximum species of the birds take rest at night, but these artificial lights disturb the normalcy of the ecosystem, Dr Babbar asserted. It is a good initiative of the government , he said.