MADURAI: As part of the "Ezhil Koodal" beautification initiative, the Madurai City Corporation officials recently carried out a poster removal drive, taking unauthorised posters off public walls, bridges and structures, at 20 key locations in the city, including Mattuthavani, Anna Nagar, and Goripalayam. So far, penalties amounting to Rs 11,000 have been imposed on defaulters.
The initiative is part of the corporation's ongoing efforts to curb visual pollution. In August, the corporation council decided to impose penalties to prevent unauthorised posters from being put up on public walls.
A health official from the city said, "Under the Ezhil Koodal project, we are working towards creating a visually clean and organised city. Teams have been deployed in all wards to identify frequently defaced spots. Last week, in a mass cleaning drive, posters put up on public walls were taken off."
Meanwhile, city-based activists have called for stricter enforcement, despite the ongoing measures. T Nagarajan, an activist from Madurai, said, "Even after the recent drives, many public walls, including the under-construction flyover pillars in Goripalayam, are still covered in posters. The corporation must strictly monitor and ensure proper enforcement to make the initiative effective."
Meanwhile, members of the local printing industry have raised concerns that the regulations could impact their business, which is already on a downtrend.
P Arun, owner of a printing company, said, "Earlier, we used to print around 500 posters per order, but now it has reduced to 100 or fewer. We request the corporation to provide more designated spaces in prominent areas to put up posters, so that our business and workers' livelihood are not affected."