Row over illegal hoardings continues

TNN, Nov 15, 2010,

LUDHIANA: The row between municipal corporation authorities and advertisers continues as on Monday members of Outdoor Advertisers Association Ludhiana submitted a memorandum to municipal corporation commissioner AK Sinha for taking action against illegal advertisement hoardings.

Though the members have appreciated the efforts of the corporation in bringing transparency in the allotment of unipoles to the companies and removing illegal unipoles and advertisement from private buildings in the past, the members alleged that the corporation officials are under pressure to derail the legal tendered system by putting undue restrictions so that their attentions are diverted from the illegal mafia, who is being helped by certain elected members of the house, local politicians and administrators.

The members also alleged that corporation had formed a sub committee to look into the irregularities of advertisement department but it seems that their only aim is to get the legal tender cancelled. They alleged that the members are indirectly helping the illegal mafia by listening to the recommendation of the members of the sub-committee neglecting the fact that through legal tenders they are earning more than five crore every year since 2006-2007 till date.

Shivender Singh Sandhu, one of the leading advertisers, said that according to RTI – 206 on August 29, 2008 it was revealed that advertisement is not allowed on private building roof top.

He added that the system of putting up ads on private/commercial buildings was allowed to increase the revenue of the civic body when no other alternate was available with them, but when better and stronger sources were available then those should be opted for. By doing so the MCL is going to monopolize the trade in the hands of mafia which already controls all the strategic points in the city.

The members mentioned a few sites, including Samrala Chowk, Dhyan Singh Complex, bus stand road, Hotel Da Romeo side wall, Jagraon Bridge and rooftop of Hanuman Mandir, where illegal hoardings have been installed for the past two years.