The Hindu 11.01.2011
Unauthorised banners removed
In Tirunelveli and Palayamkottai
Tirunelveli and Palayamkottai wore a new look on Monday after the corporation personnel removed all unauthorised digital flex boards kept along the roads, mostly by politicians and caste outfits.
Though a Government Order states that banners can be put up only at permitted areas three days prior to the event after obtaining consent of the police and should be removed within two days after the programme, nobody shows any respect for this order. Right from the political parties to caste outfits, anyone erect a flex boards at any place of his/ her choice without any permission and keep it there for as many days as they want.
As the police never acted against the violators, the problem assumed alarming proportion in the recent past.
When the ruling DMK erected a banner on the foot-over bridge near a girls' school at Palayamkottai, the AIADMK blocked traffic on the arterial Thiruvananthapuram High Road as the flex board eclipsed the banner already there which acknowledged the fund released by the then AIADMK MP P.H. Pandian for the construction of the massive steel structure.
Even as making arrangements to convene an all-party meeting to solve this problem, the police gave round-the-clock protection to DMK's controversial flex banner. Since the meeting decided to remove all unauthorised banners kept at Tirunelveli and Palayamkottai on Monday, the corporation personnel commenced the exercise with the backing of police and revenue officials from Tirunelveli Junction to KTC Nagar on the outskirts of Palayamkottai.
“Before this much-awaited operation, the banners completely covered the movement of other vehicles coming from the opposite direction and also vehicular movement in the busy intersections. Now the road-users, particularly the vehicle riders, can clearly see the vehicular movement in all directions without any hindrance,” said N. Perumal, a bank employee.
Though the removal of banners caused some traffic snarl on Monday morning, the public were prepared to bear it as the joint operation by the police, corporation and the revenue officials triggered widespread salutation. “The police should not show any mercy against any violator hereafter… Any politician or individual who dares to erect flex boards without permission should be taken to task without fear or favour,” said S. Anantharaj, a TNSTC bus conductor.
