Coimbatore Corporation has issued a directive asking the
advertisers to remove unauthorised hoardings on or before February 15
or else face legal action. Corporation Commissioner (in-charge) S.
Sivarasu said that those failing to remove the unauthorised hoardings
will be liable for legal action under Section 410 (1) of the Corporation
Act and will have to undergo imprisonment and pay a penalty.

The
release added that to avoid legal action, the advertisers should come
forward and remove all the hoardings before Friday. The same is
applicable to advertisement agencies, who had erected the hoardings,
land owners who had permitted the same and companies that had gone in
for hoardings.

According to the release, there had
been hoardings along the government and private buildings, telephone
exchanges, theatres, commercial complexes, highways, railway premises
and even along bridges and flyovers. These hoardings are illuminated
using powerful lights distracting the attention of the motorists. In
fact, the permitting authority M. Karunagaran, District Collector has
ordered for a crackdown and has directed all government departments and
local bodies to ensure compliance.

Inquiries revealed
that at present permission is being granted for putting up only
temporary hoardings ranging from one to 10 days relating to events being
organised across the city.

Even by conservative
estimates, a little more than 600 hoardings are unauthorised and there
are only 900 hoardings with permission. The administration is also
taking efforts to fight a pending litigation before the court filed by
the advertisers and get the advertisements on roadside pavements and
Race Course area removed. In future administration is mulling a proposal
to have parks, lawns and roundabouts besides pavements given to
corporate houses for maintenance as part of their Corporate Social
Responsibility with just a board indicating their contribution to city’s
beautification.

In the event of the advertisers not
removing the hoardings, the civic body is gearing up for removing them
and for recovering the cost of removal from the advertisers, an official
said.