The NMC crackdown follows the orders of Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court to the Commissioner of NMC on 23-12-2013 in a contempt petition. The NMC Commissioner filed an affidavit before the High Court Bench of Justice R.K. Deshpande. The NMC Commissioner informed the court that a total of 109 First Information Reports have been filed against 261 persons in various police stations. The Commissioner Shyam Wardhane also informed the court that 558 show cause notices have been issued and an amount of Rs 6,99,996 was recovered from the defaulters.
Empty Hoarding Board at Shankar Nagar but what about illegal hoarding structure?
Nagpur News: Finally, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation has cracked the whip by acting tough against the illegal hoardings put up in almost all major squares in Nagpur. Police have registered First Information Reports (FIRs) against the political top guns including the President of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Nagpur Unit Ajay Patil.
The NMC crackdown follows the orders of Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court to the Commissioner of NMC on 23-12-2013 in contempt petition No: 256/10 & 266/10. The NMC Commissioner filed an affidavit before the High Court Bench of Justice R.K. Deshpande, acting as vacation judge.
The NMC Commissioner informed the court that a total of 109 First Information Reports have been filed against 261 persons in various police stations. The Commissioner Shyam Wardhane also informed the court that 558 show cause notices have been issued and an amount of Rs 6,99,996 was recovered from the defaulters.
An affidavit from Police Commissioner K.K. Pathak was also filed in which it is explained that all the police stations have been directed to take action against illegal hoardings and file FIRs against the accused. The Commissioner of Police informed that a total of 112 FIRs have been registered against 577 persons under Section 3 of MPDP Act, 1995.
Prominent persons against whom the FIRs have been registered include, apart from NCP City President Ajay Patil, Dr. Vikas Mahatme, Prabodh Ukey of NCP, Marotrao Kumbhalkar, Navneet Singh Tuli, Sumukh Mishra of Nagpur Congress, Kishore Kanhere, Vinod Tawde, Adv. Ashish Shelar and others.
During the hearing of Contempt Petition filed by Dinesh Naidu of “Parivartan” NGO, it was pointed out by the counsel for the petitioner Adv. Tushar Mandlekar that in spite of orders, the violation in “Outdoor Advertizing Policy 2001” is going on and the distance between the hoardings is not maintained. The counsel produced 24 photographs of illegal hoardings at different locations of which judicial note is taken by the court.
It was brought to the notice of the High Court that distance between the two hoardings is required to be maintained as 50 meters but on many locations the hoardings are erected in violation of Clauses 12, 14, 20 of “Outdoor Advertizing Policy 2001.” Justice Ravi Deshpande sternly observed that illegal hoardings violating the “distance norms” has effect of frustrating the entire object of the “Outdoor Advertizing Policy 2001” and restrictions laid down under the said policy. The High Court had directed the NMC to explain such open violation of “Outdoor Advertizing Policy 2001.”
The High Court took a very stern stand and had taken the Municipal Commissioner and Police Commissioner to tasks on illegal hoardings. The High Court had clearly stated that menace of illegal hoardings will not be tolerated in city of Nagpur.
The High Court was hearing a contempt petition filed by Dinesh Naidu in Criminal Writ Petition No: 749/2005 with Criminal Writ Petition No: 754/2005. The petitioners have made specific complaint that the NMC officials and Police officials have failed in obeying the directions passed by High Court in the matter of illegal banners, hoardings and posters in which specific directions were given to both the authorities to remove illegal hoardings and register an FIR against the culprits under Section 3 of the Maharashtra Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, 1995.
Adv. Tushar Mandlekar argued for activist Dinesh Naidu. Adv. Sudhir Puranik appeared for NMC. Adv. Kalyani Deshpande appeared for the Police Commissioner.
However, the NMC and Police actions against politicians, social activists and others for erecting illegal hoardings would be incomplete unless the main culprits – the advertisement agencies – are also penalized. The ad agencies also blatantly violate rules and regulations and even evade taxes with the connivance of the concerned officials. Sometimes, the hoardings put up by the ad agencies create problems for smooth traffic. The NMC and Police should also take actions against the ad agencies.
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