KOCHI: The City Corporation which failed in enforcing the advertisement bylaw, passed in March 2012, has taken measures to strictly enforce the norms. The decision is based on the Disaster Management Authority’s instruction to ensure structural stability of huge billboards in the city. The Authority has made it clear that it is the responsibility of local bodies to ensure the safety and stability of huge billboards.
As per the earlier estimate, the city has more than 1400 hoardings and many of them are put up in an unsafe manner. Though the Corporation gives a permit for hoardings, it is not concerned about their safety and stability. The stability certificate provided by the private agency is the only document to confirm its safety. The civic body is all set to introduce a uniform numbering system for all billboards to ensure their structural stability. Ahead of introducing the numbering system, the Corporation will conduct an adalat. During the adalat, the stability certificate of hoardings and other documents will be scrutinized.
“The number of illegal billboards has increased manifold recently. Hence, it has been decided to strictly enforce the norms. Once, the uniform numbering system is introduced, illegal advertisements can be easily tracked,” said Mayor Soumini Jain. There are widespread complaints that even though advertisements are one of the major revenue sources of the civic body, it is not taking any measures to streamline them.
Billboards are being carelessly erected near educational institutions, hospitals and traffic islands obstructing clear vision. “Most of the billboards in the city are unauthorised and there is no monitoring mechanism to regularize them. The total number of advertisement boards should be surveyed and the Corporation can impose fees,” said K.J Antony, CPM councillor.
