THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Thiruvananthapuram corporation is set to issue notices imposing fines for 16 flex boards put up in connection with Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala’s flagship anti-drug campaign ‘Toofan’ as part of its crackdown on illegal billboards in the state capital.
A senior corporation official said that around 16 boards related to Toofan have been removed. The action comes amid an enforcement drive by the civic body. “Notices are now being prepared with the penalty calculated at Rs 5,000 per hoarding. We will be issuing notices immediately to the home department,” the official said.
The official said the recurrent appearance of flex boards was making enforcement particularly difficult in a city that is the main venue of events and campaigns of all political parties and other organisations. “When it comes to putting up hoardings, political parties are all the same.
Two nights back, we removed all the boards from Kowdiar to East Fort. But by this morning, they have reappeared again. We have authorised an agency to put up and remove temporary boards,” the official said.
After the BJP administration came into power, the corporation convened an all-party meeting, in which leaders agreed in principle not to put up unauthorised posters. “A general agreement was reached on not putting up illegal hoardings. But the stance changed as soon as the the assembly polls got over,” the official said.
The official also pointed to the involvement of government departments and organisations in putting up flex boards.
Mayor V V Rajesh said there is no need for another all-party meeting or a fresh intervention at this stage. “The corporation will strengthen enforcement measures that are already under way and continue them more effectively. Wherever illegal flex boards are found, they will be removed and action will be taken. The Rs 5,000 fine will be imposed wherever applicable,” the mayor told the TNIE.
According to the official, one of the major obstacles is identifying those responsible for the billboards. “None of these boards being put up have a proper address to levy a fine. That is another issue we face. Right now, we have removed about 66 boards. Out of these 66, there are only 16 to which we can actually send notices,” the official said.
