Illegal Flex Hoardings Felicitating Politicians Deface ‘Swachh Mangaluru’?

Illegal Flex Hoardings Felicitating Politicians Deface ‘Swachh Mangaluru’? Publicity Mongers not Cooperating in Implementing ban on Banners, Hoarding in City

Mangaluru: Call it the “Visual Pollution” caused by political hoardings. On the outset let me also congratulate the Congress stalwarts for their “minor” achievement in their political career-“Best of luck and success in your political endeavours”. But at the same time, I am not happy as to how they break the law, regarding the display of illegal flex hoardings/banners banned by the government. And the sad and bad part is that the Congress leaders themselves are breaking the law, which was strictly implemented by CM Siddaramaiah’s government. Mangaluru City which was looking so beautiful for the last few days after MCC pulled down all the hoardings/banners- and now all of a sudden few hoardings/banners congratulating political leaders on their achievement have surfaced once again.

Even though it is against the law to display such kind of publicity materials, why are these politicians and their supporters ignoring the law. I think there’s a need to break the nexus between corporators, MLAs and bureaucrats when it comes to this flex menace. Most flex boards and hoardings are the work of followers of public representatives of that ward or constituency. Short-staffed MCC is not in a position to deal with these followers who shoo away ground staff. Rumours are that instances of MCC officials being stopped or harassed when they tried to remove flex boards.

Flexes come up all of a sudden during festivals, VIP birthdays, elections, achievements of community leaders etc which have to be later removed by MCC staff. In spite of MCC’s drive against illegal flex boards and hoardings, where all hoardings/banners were removed few days ago, many hoardings and flex boards have surfaced once again, specially hoardings complimenting politicians. Even when there is the Karnataka Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act- But what action, if any, has been initiated against the culprits is not known. By bringing this law, will any of these officials crack down on the flexes the politicians put up? Far from it, they will go after the small local business people who put up small flexes here and there?- and pardon those politicians hoardings.

These illegal hoardings/banners are seen everywhere, and for that matter, couple of months ago, MCC Mayor and Deputy Mayor themselves were not keen to get flex hoardings, congratulating them, removed. The lethargy of the city corporation has resulted in the mushrooming of such flex hoardings and banners in the city. When the hoardings and banners speak themselves who put them the corporation could easily fine them. But there is no will. As there is no fear of fine or any legal action people have continued to deface public places. The need of the hour is strong penalties and punishment. There’s punishment of imprisonment of six months or fine which may extend up to Rs 1,000 or both. So far, there’s only talk about filing criminal cases against erecting illegal flex boards- but no action. This showcase a city made ugly by the haphazard growth of these illegal flex hoardings/banners.

Advertisement billboards are bad enough by themselves, and added to that the political hoardings are worse as they are put up anywhere and everywhere and one on top of another and in spaces not meant for hoardings. Most of them are put up for trivial and laughable reasons, and to felicitate political leaders on their “minor” achievement, or welcome them to the city and so on. The intention of this report with photographs not to show the ineffectiveness of the drive against the political billboards as some of them have gone now, although many remain particularly in outskirts of the City-like Kulur, Panambur etc. The drive leaves much to be desired no doubt but it’s start. I can only hope that it’s not a mere flash in the pan and not restricted to elite areas of the city.

“Even after we have given several warnings, people are ignoring our warnings and still displaying flex boards and banners. A few weeks ago Mangaluru City Corporation had conducted a drive for the removal of flexes and banners within its limits, but unfortunately, people are still continuing this practice without seeking MCC’s permission. This will be our final warning since we will definitely take stringent action against those who display banners and flex boards in future” had said Mayor Kavitha Sanil. Well said by the Mayor, but I want to ask her a question-“Why allow flex banners of politicians, MLA’s, MLC, even Corporators/MCC Officials to be displayed and no action taken against them. Laws should be equal for everyone, irrespective of caste, or religion, etc etc. Why also allow religious banners to be displayed- this will create confusion among others when they want to display their banners”. But compared to other Mayors we had so far, Mayor Kavitha doing much better in her actions solving most of the civic issues- but she still needs to be more strict! Probably she is lacking the support of her colleagues?

How can one expect people to follow the rules, when the government officials themselves break the law. Call them examples of advertising vandalism, visual pollution or label them as the pox of outdoor advertising…or simply call them hoardings or billboards! Though I am not against advertising or against the Congress politicians, the number of billboards in our cities have reached epidemic proportions and I have developed an allergy to them. And guess what, most of them are illegal. Ours is one of the few countries in the world where hoardings/banners are displayed anywhere and everywhere in spite of the supreme court order banning hoardings, because they are hazardous to motorists. So why are these illegal hoardings/banners still out there on the streets, including those of the politicians-thereby defacing the beauty of the City. Is this what “Swachh Mangaluru” is all about?

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Excuse me, Mayor! Why Allow Flex Banners of MLC, MLA, Deputy Mayor..?

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Illegal Hoardings a Menace to City’s Beauty and Safety Threat to Motorists

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Not ‘Smart’ for ‘Smart City’! Hoardings-Banners Defying Ban on Flex-Plastic

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