The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) on Friday told the Karnataka High Court that it has not received any response with regard to around 2,500 structures, which were put up for displaying advertisement hoardings, and now individual notices would be served to the owners of the properties/buildings on which such illegal structures/hoardings still remain despite expiry of the deadline for removing such structures.
BBMP counsel V. Sreenidhi made these submissions before a division bench comprising Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari and Justice R. Devdas, which is monitoring the actions of the civic body in removal of illegal hoardings, banners, flexes across the city through a batch of PIL petitions, which had complained about the menace of illegal flexes and banners.
The counsel pointed out that of the 4,178 structures of various dimensions put up for displaying advertisement on private properties/buildings, the BBMP has received only around 1,200 responses within the August 20 deadline from the owners of properties or advertisement agencies in response to public notice issued for submission of documents to prove that advertisement structures were put up by obtaining necessary permissions. Stating that the BBMP has already adjudicated these responses, the counsel said that around 400 responses received after the August 20 deadline have been kept pending.
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He told the bench that the BBMP council has approved a draft advertisement policy-cum-advertisement by-laws, and it had been sent to the State government on August 29 for approval.
Advocate-General Uday Holla said that the government will soon issue a notification publishing the draft by-laws and inviting objections and suggestions from the public within 30 days, as per the statutory provisions before finalising the by-laws.
He also told the bench that the accused in 228 of the 234 criminal cases, which were registered for illegally putting up banners, posters, flexes by detecting such instances through closed circuit camera surveillance and police patrolling, have pleaded guilty before the designated magistrate court. The trial in four cases is pending and in two cases, the police could not find evidence, the A-G said.
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Plea against ban
Meanwhile, 11 advertisement agencies on Friday moved the High Court questioning the BBMP’s resolution banning all types of outdoor advertisements for a period of one year.
Justice B. Veerappa, before whom the petition came up for hearing, has ordered issue of a notice to the BBMP, and adjourned hearing till September 4.