Bengaluru: Although BBMP commissioner M. Lakshminarayan warned that criminal cases will be filed under the Karnataka Open Place (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act 1981 for displaying unauthorized hoardings and flexes across the city, the display of illegal flexes, buntings and banners are continuing unabated.
Even the posters greeting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on his birthday, have been displayed without valid permission from the BBMP. Mr. Lakshminarayan had said that till August 7, the offenders were allowed to pull down unauthorized hoardings and flexes to avoid action. Later, they would be pulled down by a special squad formed by the BBMP and additionally, cases would be filed.
Ironically, the display of hoardings has been continuing unabated, spoiling the aesthetics of the city. The BBMP has lodged just four cases for unauthorized display, that too at Bommanahalli zone. The city is dotted with flexes. Among them are life-sized hoardings of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah (wishing him on his 67th birthday) and birthday greetings for Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president G. Parameshwar.
When political bigwigs flout BBMP advertisement by-laws, the authorities are scared to remove them, let alone register complaints against them, said official sources in the BBMP. Banashankari Tmple ward corporator A. H. Basavaraj has obtained permission for display of advertisements by paying Rs 15,000. A supporter of the CM wanted to obtain permission for about 100 flexes and hoardings to convey birthday wishes, but he has just submitted an application and not paid the money.
However, they have displayed a licence number beneath the hoardings, said sources. Innumerable hoardings can be seen along Shivajinagar, Cox Town, Moor Road and at Benson Town, reminding those who see it of the birthday of Infrastructure Minister Roshan Baig’s son. This has been done without obtaining permission from the BBMP, showing lack of respect for the laws of the land by the lawmakers, added sources.
Already, the BBMP jurisdiction has over 7,000 illegal flexes and banners, of which only 2,500 have been removed by the BBMP. Since the festival season has started, flexes will increase across the city. Besides, the prices of display of advertisements have been increased from Rs 86 per sq. mtr to Rs 150. The BBMP is contemplating bringing down the advertisement tariff to Rs 100 per sq. mtr from Rs 150.
To prevent display of unauthorized advertisement materials across the BBMP jurisction, the BBMP on Thursday issued guidelines for display of advertisements across the city.Advertisers must follow the following guidelines.
