Illegal hoardings mushroom right under authorities’ noses in Tirupur

TIRUPUR: Though political parties have issued diktats prohibiting banners, looks like the cadres are not ready to comply.
Several AIADMK flex boards were seen around Gandhi Park in Coimbatore on Sunday. In Tirupur, DMDK cadres had put up banners and hoardings for the party’s public meeting on Saturday.
The Tirupur city police booked seven DMDK cadres, including its district youth wing secretary AS Mani, for erecting the banners in five places under the Tamil Nadu Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, 1959. “DMDK had submitted an application to the city corporation seeking permission for erecting hoardings. Though no permission was given, they erected hoardings illegally,” said a police officer.
Not only political parties, fans of Kollywood stars, devotees of popular worship places and even common people were seen violating the rules. As many such 150 banners were removed from the city on Saturday after the Madras high court came down heavily on the state government.
S Sundarapandian of Aam Aadmi Party flayed the city corporation for not checking the menace. “The action against the violators is seen as eyewash after the death of N Subhasri in Chennai. Things will be back to square one soon. Both the corporation and the police department should take steps to formulate the rules on where hoardings can be placed. Also, stringent action should be taken against the violators,” he told TOI.
Tirupur city deputy commission of police (law & order) ES Uma said the department would crack down on the banner culture. “We will soon sit with the city corporation officials and take decision on formulating plans. Besides, we have instructed all our frontline personnel to keep an eye on illegal hoardings.”