The Karnataka government has banned unauthorised flexes and banners in Bengaluru. From August 15, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) will charge a fine of Rs 50,000 on every unauthorised hoarding erected in the city.
Citing that Karnataka High Court order, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said the state government will fully back the civic body to ensure offenders pay, even if it is his or the chief minister’s supporters.
“We will enforce the ban strictly. All types of hoardings, including those put up by political leaders or any other individuals, will be removed in the next two to three days. Whoever violates the order, the BBMP will slap a penalty of Rs 50,000 for each offence, starting August 15,” a report in Deccan Herald quoted Shivakumar as saying on Tuesday.
According to the DH report, the BBMP had banned all types of hoardings in 2018, but it struggled to implement the rule due to lack of political will.
During a recent hearing, the high court had taken the officials to task for going soft on the offenders. The court had also expressed shock that the civic body did not fine those who had illegally erected hoardings, the report stated.
The Bengaluru civic body has 59,413 illegal hoardings reportedly at its own cost. However, it filed First Information Reports (FIRs) against 40 offenders even though it received close to 134 complaints.
The DH report quoted Shivakumar as saying that hoardings with birthday wishes, obituaries, greetings and those advertising social and religious programmes are also banned.
According to the report, Shivakumar said the state government is working on a policy to allow the display of hoardings legally. “We will draw up a policy earmarking certain places in the city for displaying hoardings legally. It is inevitable. The area and size of these hoardings will also be determined. Till then, the BBMP will file FIRs against all those who put up buntings or flexes,” he was quoted.
Comments
0 comment