The Local Administration Department has launched a crackdown on unauthorised hoardings and banners that had cropped up in several parts of the city and its suburbs.
According to a senior official, a team led by Director of Local Administration Malarkannan, Sekaran, Executive Engineer of Pondicherry Municipality, and Kandasamy, Commissioner of Oulgaret Municipality, supervised the removal drive.
Although orders have been issued by the administration from time to time invoking the powers conferred under Section 4 of the Puducherry Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, 2000), the city’s landscape cluttered with banners remained an eyesore.
The notification on erection of banners was observed more in its breach than in its compliance.
Employees of Pondicherry and Oulgaret Municipality on Monday removed the banners and hoardings of business establishments and political parties at Saram, 45-feet-Road and Muthialpet.
Cases filed
Cases were registered against those who had put up the banners under the Puducherry Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act.
Erecting of political and caste-based cut-outs, banners, hoardings and wall paintings have been prohibited by the Local Administration Department, Puducherry, since 2009.
Drive to continue
The drive follows repeated warnings by the municipal authorities that unauthorised banners and hoardings would be removed without notice and strict action would be initiated under the Pondicherry Municipality Act 1973 and POPD Act, 2000.
The LAD would continue with the drive till all illegal hoardings and banners are removed, an official said.