Chennai, Mar 20: To end the menace of unauthorised hoardings and digital banners in the city, the Chennai district and corporation authorities have started identifying illegal hoardings, banners and placards , and initiate penal proceedings against those who had put them up without a licence or permission.
A submission to this effect was made by the Chennai district collector in the Madras high court, when a PIL concerning the issue came up for hearing before the first bench comprising acting Chief Justice R K Agrawal and Justice N Paul Vasanthakumar on Tuesday.
The PIL, filed by social activist Traffic Ramasamy contended that politicians, companies, social organisations and private individuals had been putting up unauthorized digital banners and hoardings without obtaining permission from the corporation or district authorities.
Despite this rampant violation and loss revenue, authorities turned a blind eye, he said, seeking court's direction to them to remove all unauthorized hoardings and to punish the officials who failed to prevent the menace.
On Tuesday, Chennai district collector E Sundaravalli filed a counter-affidavit saying that she had instructed all tahsildars to identify and take necessary action to remove all unauthorized hoardings and placards in the district.
The Chennai corporation commissioner has been requested to extend necessary machineries to the tahsildars to carry out the court orders, she said.
The collector also stated that on March 28 the urban development secretary to the government, Chennai Corporation and the district administration would hold a meeting involving relevant departments to discuss the issue and effectively comply with the court order.
In this regard, she urged the government pleader to inform the high court that the district administration needed some more time to compile an action taken report or status report on the matter. The first bench then adjourned the matter to April 1 for further hearing.
