Zone officers’ silent support to illegal hoardings?

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

Municipal Commissioner G Sreekanth had announced on Tuesday that all illegal hoardings in the city would be removed within two days. However, on Wednesday, not a single zone officer among the ten zones took action against unauthorised hoardings. As per the deadline set by the Commissioner, Thursday is the last day for their removal. The pressing question remains: who is willing to invite political hostility by taking action against these hoardings?

Illegal hoardings have significantly contributed to the city’s visual pollution. An estimated 1,800 hoardings have been put up at major squares, main roads, and internal streets. Kranti Chowk alone has around 176 hoardings. Some of them are reportedly so dangerously installed that women and young girls have fallen while crossing the road. Despite this, the traffic police have not addressed these hazardous structures.

The issue of illegal hoardings was earlier raised by mayor Sameer Rajurkar during a Shiv Jayanti Coordination Committee meeting. Even after his folded-hand appeal, the installation of unauthorised hoardings did not stop. The Commissioner had publicly stated how political figures often issue threats when officials attempt to remove such hoardings.

Speaking to the newspaper, on Tuesday, the civic chief G Sreekanth reiterated that all illegal hoardings would be removed within two days and warned that action would be taken against concerned officials if they failed to comply. Despite this directive, none of the zone officers initiated removal drives on Wednesday.

Who is printing these hoardings?

The municipal administration had earlier warned that properties of those printing illegal hoardings would be seized, fines imposed, and criminal cases registered. This strict stance had temporarily curbed the practice. However, with the corporation’s apparent inaction, the city has once again witnessed a surge in unauthorised hoardings.

There are more than 60 small and large printing units in the city that offer low-cost hoarding printing services.

Printing rates

Hoardings measuring 8x3 feet or 4x10 feet, including iron angle frames, are prepared for Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000. For additional payment, they are also installed. Smaller 2x4 feet hoardings, commonly seen hanging from streetlights across the city, cost between Rs 100 and Rs 150 each. In bulk orders, the printing cost can drop to as low as Rs 50 to Rs 60 per piece.