Maharashtra govt directs civic bodies to conduct special drive to remove illegal hoardings, banners
Last month, the HC had pulled up the BMC and police administration for permitting unauthorised hoardings and banners to come up after state assembly elections at several places.
2 min read
It also directed strict punitive action against organisations or individuals responsible for repeated erection of illegal hoardings (Express photo/Ganesh Shirsekar)The Maharashtra government on Monday told the Bombay High Court that all municipal corporations, councils and nagar panchayats in the state have been asked to inspect and remove unauthorised and illegal hoardings, banners through a month-long special drive to be held from January 26 to February 26.
A four-member committee of additional chief secretary, Home department, principal secretaries of urban development along with revenue and forest department and commissioner of directorate of municipal administration took a review of compliance of court orders on removal of illegal hoardings by civic bodies at a meeting on January 8 .
The secretary of state UDD KH Govindaraj filed an affidavit in reply to a PIL by NGO Suswarajya Foundation, and others argued through advocates Uday Warunjikar and Siddhesh Pilankar against illegal hoardings, banners in the state.
Last month, the HC had pulled up the BMC and police administration for permitting unauthorised hoardings and banners to come up after state assembly elections at several places, including the Fort area in South Mumbai, where the court premises is situated.
The government has now directed the civic bodies to strictly follow guidelines related to erection of hoardings, banners, posters and flexes. It directed the civic authorities to form a special team consisting of their administration in every ward and local police for removal action and keep the eviction process in continuity.
It also directed strict punitive action against organisations or individuals responsible for repeated erection of illegal hoardings and also asked printing presses to check permission of the local body while printing such banners and hoardings. The government has sought a compliance report from the authorities by February 28
The HC bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Bharati H Dangre on January 27 asked the petitioners to file additional affidavits in response to the state’s submissions and posted further hearing to February 12.
You May Like
