The Indian Express 19.03.2013
Majority of illegal hoardings pulled down, says civic body
FOUR days after the High Court gave an ultimatum to the civic administration to remove all illegal hoardings, posters and banners in the city, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday claimed to have removed a majority of these.
On Monday, the civic administration removed 51 illegal posters, banners and hoardings from the city, said civic officials. The BMC has so far removed over 6,000 illegal posters, hoardings and banners.
"We have been continuing our crackdown on illegal hoardings and posters. The roads have been rid of a majority of illegal posters and hoardings," said S B Bande, Superitendent of Licenses.
The civic administration will also begin the process of sending notices to those who had put up such illegal hoardings and banners soon. "There is a certain time period we need to consider after which we can prosecute those who violate rules and put up illegal hoardings and banners. We are in the process of identifying those responsible for putting up such illegal banners and hoardings and sent them notices," said Bande.
Last week, the Bombay High Court had rapped the civic body and directed it to remove illegal advertisements and banners in the city within 24 hours. Observing that the majority of these hoardings are political, the court has also asked the civic bodies to issue notices to persons whose names or photographs are printed on the allegedly illegal hoardings.
Every month, the BMC removes 2,500-3,000 illegal hoardings. Based on data collected over a year, more than 70 per cent of these hoardings have been found to be political banners.
The HC order came after a petition by Thane activist Prabhakar Chaudhari. His lawyer Sagar Joshi said they had urged the court to direct the removal of the hoardings and initiation of action against concerned corporation officers who fail to act against them.
While the BMC has decided not to give any new permissions for political hoardings, if any illegal hoardings are found in an area, the civic administration can not only take action against those who put up such hoardings, but also ward officers who allow such hoardings.
The civic commissioner is in the process of drafting a policy to allow hoardings and banners on the lines of Delhi, which has a 'zero tolerance' for illegal hoardings and banners. Municipal Commissioner Sitaram Kunte will soon send a team of civic officials to study how the civic body in Delhi has managed to keep it free of posters and banners despite it being a hub of political activity.
