Illegal hoardings: Corp collects record Rs 6L as fine

Thiruvananthapuram: The city corporation has pocketed the highest penalty amongst the six corporations in the state in its drive against unauthorised hoardings. It collected Rs 6.49 lakh as fine against unauthorised hoardings put up in the city during the drive held in 2018. Kochi corporation, which collected Rs 90,000, trails behind while Kozhikode corporation recorded the least amount of penalty – Rs 24,189.
Even after the stringent crackdown by the corporation, there is not much relief to the flex menace in the city. Most major junctions are suffocated with hoardings.

The high court had directed that all unauthorised boards, banners and hoardings shall be removed by October 30 and urban affairs and panchayat directors were asked to submit a report. The local self-government department (LSGD) issued a circular, following the HC directive, and held field staff and secretary of local body concerned accountable if they failed to remove unauthorised boards, banners and hoardings within the stipulated time. Besides, it was also directed to levy fine and advertisement tax from responsible officials and disciplinary action be taken against officials who failed to comply with the court directive.

The corporation had removed more than 6,500 unauthorised hoardings as part of the statewide move. Corporation officials said the huge amount collected as penalty was reflective of the menace that gripped the city. “We had had a hectic time removing illegal advertisement boards. However, by December many of the stretches which were cleared of the boards were again crowded with the same. Still, the issue is only partially addressed,” a revenue official said.

As per the official records, six civic bodies in the state together collected Rs 9.22 lakh as fine during the drive against hoardings.

The LSGD had earlier issued a circular laying down guidelines to be followed in regulating advertisement hoardings. It was directed that those who erect hoardings shall be responsible for its removal within seven days after the function was over or else the local body may remove them at the expense of the agency. Local body secretaries are empowered by section 275 of Kerala Municipality Act to remove unauthorised advertisement boards. The applicants will also have to furnish a copy of the content of the ad being displayed on hoardings. Any kind of provocative or gory images or those inciting communal sentiments will not be entertained.

A consistent enforcement is not viable considering the workload of revenue wing, they said. The collection in terms of penalty was a huge relief to the civic body, which would otherwise have lost out in revenue from hoardings, they added.