MCC to crack down on illegal hoardings

Hundreds of illegal flex-boards and advertisement hoardings have sprung up in different parts of the city, causing concern among Mysore City Corporation (MCC) officials.

Most roads of the city, including lanes and by-lanes of residential areas, sport flex boards bearing life-size pictures of political leaders or hoardings announcing some programme or greetings for a festive occasion. These illegal flex boards and advertisement hoardings are not just spoiling the visual ambience of the city, but also becoming a source of distraction to motorists.

Mayor R. Lingappa told

The Hindu that he has directed the Assistant Commissioners of all nine corporation zones to take action against the menace. He claimed that none of these boards had been installed with the the civic body’s permission.

Mr. Lingappa said the civic body would also act against illegal advertisements put up on private property. “We will extract an advertisement fee, besides penalising the persons behind the illegal advertisements,” he said.

The Mayor attributed the mushrooming of illegal hoardings to the “irresponsibility” of MCC officials. “The jurisdictional Assistant Commissioner will serve a notice to the engineer and health officer whose responsibility it is to ensure that hoardings do not crop up in their areas,” Mr. Lingappa said.

MCC Commissioner C.G. Betsurmath appealed to the public to remove illegal advertisements, flex-boards and banners that have been put up on roads and private buildings. “Or else, the civic body will remove the illegal banners and collect expenses incurred for this from the persons who have put them up,” he said.

Action will be taken against them under the Karnataka Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act 1981, Mr. Betsurmath said.