Officials reluctant to act due to political patronage
NIZAMABAD: Indiscriminate installation of flexi banners on main roads and in residential colonies is causing serious health and environmental concerns. Pollution linked to flexi materials has increased, yet their removal and disposal are being neglected in municipal corporations, towns and major villages across the state. Officials from municipal bodies, panchayats, the police and the Pollution Control Board have been unable to take stringent action against flexi manufacturers for various reasons.
Over the past two decades, the use of flexi banners has surged in both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Earlier, politicians, marketing companies and individuals relied on cotton banners for publicity. With the advent of flexi printing, political parties and organisations began placing regular orders, and prices now range from ₹500 to ₹30,000 per banner in urban areas.
Although flexi banners below 30 microns were once strictly prohibited, banners up to 120 microns are now being used. Due to the involvement of political leaders and caste organisations, officials say they face difficulty in taking action against manufacturers. As a result, flexi banners continue to line major routes such as National Highway 44, the Nizamabad-Nanded inter-state road, National Highway 63 (Nizamabad-Jagdalpur) and several others. Political parties and caste organisations are among the biggest users.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Nizamabad municipal corporation additional commissioner P. Ravindra Sagar said stringent action will be taken against flexi manufacturers. He noted that complaints are relatively low and that municipal sanitation staff promptly remove banners from major roads. Action will be taken as per instructions from senior municipal officials, he added.
Meanwhile, some people are collecting used flexi banners from roadsides for personal use. In many slum areas, polluted flexi sheets are being reused as floor covers and roof patches by poor and lower-middle-class families. Due to a lack of awareness about the associated health risks, many continue to use them. Social activists and advocates have urged the state government to crack down on flexi manufacturing and enforce stricter regulations.
