The Bombay High Court on Friday said that it will consider passing a directive for provision of departmental inquiry against civic officials if complaints against illegal hoardings and banners are not addressed in a time-bound manner. A division bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Sandesh D Patil was hearing petitions alleging non-compliance of civic authorities of the 2017 HC order to pull down illegal hoardings. Advocate General Birendra Saraf for the state government submitted suggestions for dealing with illegal banners which stated that there shall be ward-level nodal officers such as Senior Inspector of License of the BMC can be tasked to take up such a role in Mumbai. The state also suggested that political parties should file a fresh undertaking within four weeks before the HC that no banners will be put up by them or their party members without obtaining proper permissions from the authorities and specify in what manner they will ensure their undertakings are not violated. Besides toll-free complaint numbers and facilities to upload photographs and locations of the illegal hoardings including anonymous complaints, the state said nodal officers shall also conduct daily rounds across the ward and ensure removal and action against violators and also check if the hoardings or banners had mandatory QR codes disclosing details of the persons who put them up and duration of validity of permission. Moreover, local bodies are suggested to issue directions to all printing establishments that they should not undertake printing of any hoarding or banner without verifying permission and without incorporating QR in that regard. After perusing the suggestions, the bench orally questioned as to what action should be taken if nodal officers fail in performing their duty. It said that it will consider passing an order with various directions including provision of departmental inquiry to be initiated if nodal officers are found to be negligent, then and posted further hearing to October 15.
