The Hindu 02.03.2017
Places identified for banners
Local Administration Department to float tenders soon
The Local Administration Department will soon float tenders inviting bidders for display of banners and cutouts at designated places in Puducherry and Oulgaret municipalities. The Department has finalised the list of spaces and it has decided to use them to ensure optimal revenue for the cash-strapped municipalities.
“The Local Administration Department will have the powers to permit hoardings and banners at 20 designated spaces each within the jurisdiction of Puducherry and Oulgaret municipalities. The erection of banners will be controlled only to the designated spaces to protect the city’s aesthetics. The new set of regulations to erect banners and cut-outs would come into force from April 1,” Secretary to Local Administration Department P. Jawahar told The Hindu
The government has already tweaked the conditions laid down in the Puducherry Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement Act) 2009, in order to meet the demands from various corners and to bring some revenue to the cash-starved local bodies.
Ever since the ban was enforced, there have been allegations by the opposition parties that the municipalities were allowing the ruling party in the State to put up banners against the ban while removing ones erected by other parties.
The Act had envisaged a blanket ban on erection of banners, flex boards and hoardings. The municipalities are also crippled due to lack of revenue generation and flexibility in rules is expected to streamline and bring in additional revenue to the municipalities.
“The government has also revised the rates for display of banners, hoardings and cut-outs in the two municipal areas. The rates were last revised only in 1973 when the Puducherry Municipalities Act came into force. The revised rates have been fixed at Rs. 200 per square metre,” Mr. Jawahar said.
The designated spaces will be tendered out for a specific period.
