BENGALURU: With the intention to curb the rampant installation of unauthorised flexes and banners in the city, the BBMP, in coordination with the city police, will be rolling out a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) soon.
BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath, Bengaluru City Police Commissioner B Dayananda, and other senior officers from the Palike and the police department held a coordination meeting on Tuesday. Addressing reporters after the meeting, Girinath said a list of printing units under respective zonal limits of the Palike will be prepared, and BBMP officials are tasked with visiting all the locations, accompanied by police officers, and warn them of legal action against printing any flexes and banners without prior permission. “Any unauthorised advertisement printed without the Palike’s permission will be confiscated, and the owners will be penalised and legal action will be taken,” he warned.
A patrol vehicle will be deployed in each zone to monitor unauthorised ads. The vehicle will keep vigil even at night to stop unauthorised display of banners, he added. The chief commissioner requested the police to monitor the unauthorised installation of flexes and banners and depute a nodal officer from their end. Girinath stated that any police officers who come across unauthorised ads anywhere in the city, can inform on the Palike helpline number 1533.
Special Commissioner (Revenue) Munish Moudgil informed that the corporation is contemplating preparing an application in this regard.
“Strict action should be taken against those illegally installing flexes and banners under the Karnataka Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, as well as other Acts,” Dayananda reiterated. Moudgil said that since July 1, more than 8,500 flexes and banners have been cleared and over 180 FIRs have been registered.