‘Criminal Charges on Violators using Flex Boards’- MCC Commissioner-Is it for Real or a Joke?
‘Criminal Charges on Violators using Flex Boards, Plastic Banners & Buntings’-said Mangaluru City Commissioner Mohammed Nazeer couple of days ago. Is it for real or just a Joke?
Mangaluru : In the past, Mangaluru City Commissioner Mohammed Nazeer has said many things that the civic body will take action and penalize people who dump garbage, those who don’t segregate garbage, etc, etc.,- but none of these actions have materialized – and now the same Commissioner has come hard on violators who display flex hoardings, plastic banners and buntings, saying that the Civic Body will book criminal cases against the violators. But it seems like “We Don’t Practice What We Preach or Say” kind of deal- because if you look around the City there are quite a few flex boards/banners/hoardings of religious activities, BJP activities- and funny part is that a couple of banners carry the photo of MLA Vedavyas Kamath and other BJP leaders. So, just wondering whether Commissioner Nazeer has imposed criminal charges on these violators- or what he said was just a JOKE?
We have seen in the past, it has been a common practice for people to display banners/hoardings, cut-outs, etc., welcoming devotees for their religious festivals or politicians for events. Even other organizations put up publicity materials during religious festivals and the biggest display of such flex publicity materials during Mangaluru Dasara. Such display of hoardings and banners take away the beauty of the City when everyone is working hard to Mangaluru a clean and green “Swachh Mangaluru”?
So taking serious note of such visual pollution, a couple of days ago MCC under the leadership of Commissioner Nazeer issued a circular, directing Revenue Officials to strictly enforce the plastic/flex ban and the provisions under the Karnataka Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act. Commissioner Nazeer had said, “We have decided to file criminal cases against those who illegally display flex/plastic hoardings, banners, buntings etc. A decision in this regard has been taken to keep the City plastic-free”
“We have been noticing organizers, cinema producers, and social, religious and political organizations putting up their publicity materials in the city. As a result, the City is losing its beauty, which is a setback for Swachh Mangaluru concept. Hence, we will launch a drive against all such illegal publicity materials. MCC officials will take measures to remove such materials and penalize the organizations. Violators will also be booked under criminal cases” added Commissioner Mohammed Nazeer.
Okay, well said by the Commissioner two days ago, since then there have a been quite a few flex hoardings already put up in the City- and no one has taken any action nor removed them. Are they scared to remove these hoardings, because of religious sentiments or fear of the BJP netas? Rules are rules- and should be followed irrespective of religion or politics. If they allow some to put up hoardings, while taking action against a few others, leads to discrimination. When you say something, enforce it- and not just take it easy later- and that is exactly happening every time when a warning or notice is issued by the MCC officials.
On the other hand, regarding the official gazette notification issued by the government on 11 March 2017, banning plastic and thermacol products in the state, how much action has MCC taken on violators, other than raids on shops done on 25 and 26 June 2019- after that they have once again turned a blind eye towards it. Recalling the raid, MCC Revenue Deputy Commissioner Gayathri Nayak, Health Officer Dr Manjayya Shetty and other officials conducted raids on shops at Central Market and seized over 300 kgs of banned plastic bags and covers. Raids were conducted at shops such as Mahesh and Co, Amarnath Enterprises and others, where loads of banned plastic bags were found which were seized by the officials.
On 25 June 2019, speaking to media, Ms Gayathri Nayak had said, “The raid was conducted to seize sale of banned plastic bags which includes carry bags, plastic plates, glasses and many more plastic items. Despite the ban on use and sale of plastic, these items are easily available at many of the shops. Fine was imposed where banned plastics were found in large quantity. Some shopkeepers, even after knowing the law, are stubborn to sell these plastic items. So far we have found over 300 kg of such plastics in the shops we raided which will be handed over to the environmental department. If they continue to sell the plastics in the future, their license will be cancelled,”. So, since 25/26 June until now, no one from the MCC has done any raid nor any action taken in this regard. And that I show our MCC, like one of our reader’s, had mentioned “Mangaluru Corrupt Centre” works?
Sources reveal that according to govt notification, “No shopkeeper, vendor, wholesale dealer, retailer, trader, hawker or salesman shall use plastic carry bags, plastic banners, plastic plates/cups/spoons, cling films and plastic sheets for spreading on dining table irrespective of thickness including the above items made of thermacol and plastic which use plastic micro-beads”. The notification also bars manufacturers from producing the aforementioned plastic products, store or supplying or transporting the same. Well mentioned in the govt notification, however, how much action has been taken by MCC Officials as per the notification. The answer is ZERO?
