Cloth, metal banners removal ordered

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, MARCH 9.

The Hoarding Committee of the Delhi Government, headed by the maverick Congress(I) MLA, Mr. Jagdish Anand, today issued strict directions to all local official agencies, including the MCD and the NDMC, to remove immediately all cloth and metallic banners put across different roads of the city and made the Deputy Commissioners responsible for implementation of the order.

Similarly, the Committee also decided to constitute a sub- committee, under the chairmanship of the Principal Secretary (Urban Development), to chalk out guidelines for display of hoardings and submit these before the Supreme Court for approval. One member each of the various local bodies would be part of the sub-committee. The meeting was also attended by the officials of Cantonment Board, DCP traffic and Railway Board.

The instructions to remove the hoardings from city roads comes close on the heels of the hue and cry raised by Mr. Anand and the Lok Janshakti Party vice-president, Mr. Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, over the illegal leasing out of hoarding space at various points in the Capital by the Chief Minister, Ms. Sheila Dikshit, to her favourites. They alleged the State Government had lost crores in the process. There was something fishy in award of contracts which was given to certain individuals without floating tenders, they said.

In fact, at the meeting, Mr. Anand said it should be ensured that Supreme Court guidelines are followed as regards the hoardings and warned that any inaction could invite contempt proceedings. He also pointed to some big hoardings having come up in various NDMC areas and directed the officials to take cognizance of these and get them removed. He said the Deputy Commissioners should ensure that no cloth or metallic hoardings came up across the road or on the central verges.

Similarly, the Committee also issued directions that all sign and name boards put up by the elected representatives -- Councillors and MLAs -- on the central verges should be removed with immediate effect. In addition, all the commercial hoardings on the central verges should also be removed as they tended to distract drivers and were against the spirit of the Court order.

It was pointed out at the meeting that some lower courts were giving stay orders against the direction of the Supreme Court in connivance with advertising agencies. It was decided that, as per the direction of the court, action should be taken against these advertisements as no stay order could be granted in the matter of hoardings.

The officials of the Railways were also taken to task at the meeting. It was pointed out that the Railways had allowed use of bridges for putting up of huge hoardings. However, the Railway officials present defended themselves by stating that they had deposited the license fee and tax and they had every right to put up these hoardings. However, the committee asked the railway officials to remove the hoardings and if necessary they could later seek a clarification from the Apex Court.

Mr. Anand said it had been decided to formulate guidelines for leasing out hoarding space. This would certainly put an end to corrupt practices in the grant of contract, and also bring in revenue for the State Government. Similarly, he indicated that action could be taken against the advertising agencies which were violating the norms and not displaying properly the various campaign slogans of the Delhi Government on their ad display space.

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