Bombay High Court asks for affidavit on illegal hoardings

Mumbai: The Bombay high court has asked all the municipal corporations and Councils of the state to file its compliance affidavit till June 15 on removal of illegal hoardings in their jurisdiction. Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation had informed that it has reserved some places to erect hoardings and banners in the city and its corporation is following all the orders of the Court.

A division bench of Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Amjad Sayyad was hearing bunch of PIL filed by Suswaraj foundation NGO and activist Bhagwanji Rayani to remove illegal hoardings through out the state. Petitioners argued that theses banners are defacing cities of the state and sought action against corporations who allowed such banners. The court had passed comprehensive order to remove hoardings and sought compliance.

On Friday, petitioners advocate Uday Varunjikar informed the court that most of the corporations had complied with the order of the high court. Nodal officers were appointed by the corpoarations and FIR’s were also registered but failed to keep monthly report of the removal of banners and actions. The court had perused the affidavit filed by the Ulhasnagar corporations and Thane Municipal corporations and expressed displeasure on the implementation of the court order.

Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) advocate had informed the court that it has reserved some spots to display advertisement so far 2,279 application have come and they were granted permissions. The said hoardings will be kept for next three days and will be removed on fourth day. He also said that ward wise action is being taken their teams go and remove illegal banners and hoardings in the city. The court welcomed the move of NMMC and asked all the corporations and councils to filed fresh affidavit till June 15.