The Hindu 05.01.2010
Corporation directive on removing illegal hoardings
Staff Reporter
| Mayor entrusts responsibility to official |
‘Officials not giving real picture of hoardings in city’
‘Illegal hoardings can be demolished without notice’
KOCHI: The Town Planning Department of the Kochi Corporation should act against the illegally installed hoardings in the city, directed the Corporation Council meeting.
The steps initiated in the case should be reported to the council during its next sitting. The Town Planning Officer will be held responsible for any failure in implementing the directives of the council, said Mayor Mercy Williams.
Even the Mayor was seen complaining against the officials of the department for their alleged failure in acting against the illegally installed hoardings. Echoing the sentiments of the councillors, Ms. Williams said that the officials of the department were not providing the real number of hoardings installed in the city.
The officials were limiting their action to issuing notices against those who installed illegal structures, she said.
Several councillors complained that the officials were not giving the true picture regarding the number of hoardings. Though it was officially stated that there were around 200 hoardings in the central city area, the real number was much more than what was projected by the officials, a few councillors said.
C.K. Manisankar, Deputy Mayor, said the officials could demolish the illegal hoardings and its structures erected on poramboke and public land without issuing notices to the agencies which installed them. However, notices should be issued to the agencies in case of hoardings installed on private holdings and buildings, he said.
A.B. Sabu, the leader of the UDF in the council, alleged that the officials were colluding with the agencies engaged in setting up the hoardings and causing considerable revenue loss to the civic body. The corporation should take strong action against such corrupt practices, he said.
The officials were issuing notices even in case of illegal structures for facilitating the agencies to obtain injunction from courts against demolition, he said.
Those who took part in the discussion included V.J. Hycinth, T.J. Vinod, K.G. Dinesan, Sabu George and C.K. Gopalan.
