String lights wrapped around rented iron poles

Mysuru: After environmentalists protested wrapping electric lights around trees for Dasara festival illumination, authorities and their contractors have adopted alternative methods to put up decorative lighting across the city.

Electric illumination is a major attraction of Dasara, with important roads lit up with colourful LED bulbs. However, environmental activists had earlier protested the practice of tying bulbs and string lights to roadside trees and even removed some of the lighting. Following the protests, officials instructed contractors not to use trees for illumination.

Contractors have now turned to bamboo baskets and iron pipes as alternatives.

On Krishnaraja Boulevard, bamboo baskets are installed to support the lighting arrangements. The road is expected to witness heavy footfall as the Maharaja’s College Grounds nearby will host the Aahaara Mela, prompting plans for extensive illumination.

Around 3,000 bamboo baskets are being used along both sides of the road and on the median. The baskets, sourced from bamboo markets, are being fashioned into lightweight structures to hold the lighting.

In another measure, slender iron pipes are being used on several roads. About 30-foot-high pipes have been erected to support the lights, replacing the practice of tying wires and serial sets to trees. The pipes are being rented for the purpose.

Environmentalists have welcomed the move, saying the alternative arrangements would help protect trees while ensuring that the city retains the festive look associated with Dasara illumination.