BENGALURU : The city might have been rid of flex banners and hoardings thanks to the intervention of the Karnataka High Court, which has been monitoring the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike’s (BBMP) steps on battling flex, but residents across the city are apprehensive that these environmentally harmful advertising materials will make a return to the city with the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Last year, the High Court took up the issue of flex banners and unauthorised hoardings and directed the BBMP to remove all these, leaving residents with uninterrupted views of the city skyline for the first time in years. However, the BBMP itself has approached the High Court for permission for a multi-media campaign for the upcoming elections, leaving residents worried that if such permission is accorded, political parties will not hesitate to bring back flex banners.
“Bengaluru is looking cleaner without flex boards. Though the flexes were removed, the mountings have not been brought down. It is their clear intention to start the business again,” said Chitra Venkatesh, secretary, Kumara Park West. Indira Arun, RWA of Bangalore East, said it is not necessary to bring back flexes and instead, the ban on plastic needs to be enforced more strictly.
The next hearing on the draft of the ‘Outdoor signage and public messaging bylaws 2018’, to be given by the BBMP, is on March 8. “We have answered the court’s objections and sent our response. We are yet to discuss the details with Dy CM G Parameshwar and once the bylaws are approved then it will be issued. This also includes the affidavit submitted on the multi-media election campaign that will come up during the hearing,” says Venkatesh S, Joint commissioner (finance), BBMP.
If flex banners still come up, the police say that they are equipped to deal with the situation. Deputy commissioner of police (crime) Girish S, who is also the nodal officer for enforcing the Karnataka Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act (KOPD) Act 1981, said, “Cases are registered both at the City Crime Branch and police station level and action is taken accordingly.”
To date, the police have registered 125 cases since January 1 and at least two cases are filed every week. The police had informed the court earlier last week that four FIRs, including one against BBMP which was on an illegal hoarding on Race Course Road, had been registered.