The Hindu 09.10.2013
Civic body steps up drive against illegal hoardings
The Chennai Corporation and the district collectorate
have scaled up operations against hoardings and digital banners across
the city.
The drive has been intense in Egmore,
Triplicane, Mylapore, Nungambakkam, Alandur and Sholinganallur. At a
meeting on Tuesday, officials from the taluk monitoring committee
informed the Coordination Committee on Hoardings and Digital Banners
that more than 300 hoardings had been removed in the city so far.
The
Coordination Committee expressed satisfaction over the drive. It
however stressed the need for filing criminal cases against those
responsible for erecting illegal digital banners and hoardings.
Police personnel have so far initiated criminal action against six persons.
According
to Ali Khan Basheer, councillor of Pudupet, officials had recently
removed all the hoardings on the stretch between Spencer Plaza and Anna
Statue. “They have also warned private agencies that had erected
banners,” he said.
Some councillors pointed to continuing violations in a number of areas.
“There
are 10 hoardings on the 100-feet road from Padi Bridge to Kolathur
Retteri junction. We do not know if the structures are authorised. Most
of the advertisements pertain to housing projects,” said Deva Jawahar,
councillor of ward 65 in Kolathur.
Most banners carry
advertisements of private enterprises, including those of cinemas, food
products, motor vehicles and jewellers. A number of them are displayed
on bridges and subways.
A few months ago, the Madras
High Court directed the collector to remove all illegal hoardings,
digital banners and take necessary action to penalise those who had
contravened the rules and regulations under the Chennai City Municipal
Corporation Act. The collector instructed all tahsildars to identify and
remove all unauthorised hoardings in the district.
The drive has been intense in Egmore, Triplicane, Mylapore, Nungambakkam, Alandur and Sholinganallur.