TIRUCHY: Observing that the corporation’s initiative of installing poster boards has done little to rid the city of public property defacement, residents say stern action against violators is the need of the hour to tackle the menace. While the civic body has so far set up dedicated poster boards in about 30 places of the 100 locations planned, residents say the unchecked defacement would only make them redundant.
"Some are using the poster boards for putting up posters but there are others who continue to paste them in public places. If the corporation continues to ignore such offenders, it would encourage more people to put up posters wherever they like.
The corporation should hence impose a heavy fine on those defacing public property," said K Mahalakshmi of Thennur. Pointing to how the civic body only cleared a few posters at public spots like Puthur on Saturday and failed to act against the violators, residents say this would only encourage more defacement. Such posters can be seen defacing several beautified public properties and on the compound walls of corporation parks and bridges.
"Why is the civic body ignoring those putting up posters on public property? If it continues, who would be interested in pasting them only on the poster boards? The corporation must take stern action against those violating the direction in order to send a strong message to the offenders.
Otherwise, it would spoil the civic body’s beautification efforts as many are putting up posters on beautified properties," said S Jayashankar of Woraiyur. When enquired, a senior corporation official said, "We will direct sanitation officials to identify the offenders and impose a fine on them. We would also direct the zonal officials to hold regular inspections to prevent such offences."