Bengaluru: Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Special Commissioner for Revenue Deepak R. L. issued a warning on Tuesday July 5, to anyone defacing the city, stating that strict action will be taken against publishers and printers. This follows repeated requests to stop erecting banners and flexes in public places.
Speaking to mediapersons he said that the printers and publishers will be responsible for the cost of taking down the banners and flexes as well as paying a fine of Rs. 1,000 and face six months imprisonment.
“I have instructed the banners to be taken down by the Chief Engineers and Joint Commissioners of each zone. People need to be vigilant and refrain from erecting banners to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, and deaths. According to the Prevention of Disfigurement Act, violators must pay a fine of Rs. 1,000 and serve six months in prison. We also identify the publishers who are printing flexes and banners to be put up in the city illegally,” he remarked.
In the last week, BBMP workers have taken down more than 17,000 banners throughout the city. The officials used GPS maps and cameras to identify the illegal hoardings, he said. “In addition, the public has raised 107 objections to the ward delimitation, and we are speaking with the authorities about considering these. In the meantime, we are also drafting the SOP to recover tax from malls that haven’t paid, “Deepak added.
