Look up in Mumbai and chances are you may not see the sky but an ugly,illegal hoarding with small and big politicians looking down from it. While September was a month of celebration for people,for politicians it was time to gain publicity. As the festive spirit soared,illegal political hoardings sprouted in every nook and corner of the city. Shockingly,the BMC licence department turned a blind eye the eyesores and chose to ignore public complaints. While BMC has removed over 45,000 illegal hoardings since January 2012,it has initiated prosecution proceedings against less than 30 political banners,boards and posters since the start of the calendar year. Data available with The Indian Express shows nine prosecution cases against illegal political banners,28 against political boards and 18 police complaints against wall defacement and flags in the last nine months. In September,despite an apparent rise in the number of illegal hoardings,the licence department removed only 3,133. Of these,2,731 were political in nature. No police complaints or prosecution proceedings were recorded till September 28. August was better with 5,881 hoardings removed. We immediately fine commercial hoardings. But it is difficult to take action against those behind political banners as it may be a supporter or detractor out to make trouble, said licence department chief Sharad Bande,adding,The banners around Ganesh mandals are not illegal. They have specific permissions which include conditions such as not advertising gutkha/tobacco products. Complaints against illegal hoardings are first filed as FIRs at local police stations. Local police stations intimate us and then prosecution proceedings against perpetrators are started, said Bande. Joint commissioner of police (law & order) Sadanand Date said,As and when a complaint is filed about illegal hoardings,we intimate BMC. The number of illegal political banners,posters and boards was highest in January at 8,656,ahead of civic elections in March. It dropped sharply to 684 in February when the election code was imposed but rose substantially to 4,015 in August as the festive season began. The BMC licence department claimed between January and September 2012,it removed over 70 per cent of the 32,285 political boards,banners and hoardings. The total number of illegal signs was 45,940. Under sections 328 and 421 of Brihanmumbai Municipal Act,1888,BMC is empowered to regulate illegal hoardings and fine offenders Rs 500 to Rs 5,000.
