Taking serious cognizance of Nagpur Municipal Corporation's failure in preventing illegal hoardings, cut-outs and banners cropping up on
city roads, the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court on Monday directed the NMC to file an affidavit regarding steps taken on its March 13 order asking the civic body to evolve some procedure or policy not only to punish persons defacing the city but also to ensure that such activities are eliminated.
A division bench of justices Dilip Sinha and Prasanna Varale came down heavily on the NMC officers for not filing affidavit that supposed to be filed in six months and asked them to do so within three weeks. The court warned NMC that it would not fight shy of passing stringent orders if officials refused to abide by its directives. In its earlier orders on March 13, the court had specifically asked corporation to seek help from police department in order to eradicate this menace. The court had listed specific steps for corporation to take. It asked the municipal commissioner to obtain information from all zonal officers every second month regarding permissions granted by NMC for erecting hoardings and their location. Similarly, assistant commissioners of respective zones/ward officers were asked to periodically survey their ward/zone in the last week of every month and identify illegal hoardings erected by persons and submit a report.
The court had directed the civic chief to take steps in accordance with the provisions of Section 380 of the City of Nagpur Corporation Act, 1948, against such persons/agencies. The judges had given six months to him and file an affidavit giving details of the steps taken. After considering the overall situation as well as affidavit of the municipal commissioner, further directions will be provided, the court had said.
While observing that even now there were dozens of illegal hoardings, cut-outs, banners and posters in existence, the court took the view that if steps suggested by it had been implemented it would help NMC check this menace. The petition was filed by Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti through its counsel Firdos Mirza demanding action against illegal hoardings and similar illegal structures. Chief secretary of Maharashtra government, municipal commissioner, commissioner of police and district magistrate of Nagpur were made respondents in the case.