Satara sets example for others to follow

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday cited the example of Satara Municipal Council made the city free of illegal political hoardings,while pulling up other cities for failing to do the same.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) was to seek another extension in filing the compliance report on removal of illegal hoardings.

However,HC reprimanded it that if Satara can file the compliance report within seven days,why does the BMC need repeated extensions.

Satara was dotted with illegal hoardings,especially those of NCP MP Udayan Raje Bhonsale and his cousin NCP MLA Shivendra Raje Bhonsale put up by their supporters. Udayanraje is the 13th direct descendant of Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

“For years,the city was defaced with illegal political hoardings at every nook and corner. Fed up with the eye-sores,a group of local activists filed a petition in the Bombay High Court asking for a law-enforcing machinery to deal with the menace,” said an official from the council.Till then,the council was not enforcing the law strictly and few were paying the council to put up the hoardings.

“Our revenue from licence fees for hoardings was less than Rs 50,000 a year. After the HC case,we felt that the municipal council should get appropriate revenue,for which it was important to enforce permissions for hoardings,” said CEO of Satara Municipal Council,Abhijeet Bapat.

Collector Dr Ramaswami N acted as the nodal agency that formed a squad comprising about 30 officials from the city police,traffic police and municipal council. This squad started moving around the city,removing illegal hoardings in May last year.

Leading the pack

Bombay High Court on Wednesday cited the example of Satara Municipal Council made the city free of illegal political hoardings,while pulling up other cities for failing to do the same