Thiruvananthapuram: Hundreds of short brittle aluminium pipes, each holding the advertisement of a local mobile phone shop, dotted the median on the road from Killipalam to Kochar road during the last Attukal Pongala festival. By the time devotees retreated, the pipes were twisted onto the road threatening two-wheeler riders. Workers had to toil to remove them and this year also numerous illegal outdoor publicity mediums have started cluttering festival zone.
Various arts and sports club had roped in sponsors to put up their hoardings and flex boards on roadside and roundabouts. Many of them are small entrepreneurs who can’t afford billboards in city. “Travel operators, hardware shops, caterers, restaurants, electrical appliance shop all put up hoarding on the roadside during this season. Apart from roadsides, citizen groups arrange billboards that are put up on house premises to appease sponsors. Problem is, many of these can come off and could fall on people during strong winds,” said Nibil Nair, an entrepreneur in outdoor publicity.
As per norms hoardings have to be at least 50 metres away from pavements and flex boards are banned. It should be able to withstand a wind of up to 120 kmph. “Removal of hoardings after festival becomes the responsibility of sanitary workers. Plenty of flex boards can be found on the trucks that clean up the city,” said a corporation health official. The corporation officials added that they will not be able to crack the whip on the offenders during peak festival season due to possible law and order issues.
