The City Corporation of Belagavi seems to have failed in curbing the menace of illegal hoardings, which can be seen at all the busy intersections of the city, and all roads, it does take up cleaning but more posters are put than the ones removed.
As unauthorized advertisements and posters pasted on the walls affect the beauty of Belagavi, it is time said residents, that crackdown against hoardings and posters on walls should be encouraged for clean and green.
The illegal posters and banners create a lot of nuisances for the people and shopkeepers. Many times, the banners cover the Direction sign boards, are placed on pavements that will hurt the walkers, or sometimes placed on corners that give no sight for the driver at the turn.
A resident on the condition of anonymity said the situation is such that every public corner is overcrowded with posters of some coaching institutes, local leaders, and other business houses that just for running their trade don’t even think twice to dirty the walls and look of the locality.
Now as the elections are nearing the Wanna be netas have mushroomed and the posters are a menace more than anything else.
Be it Lamp posts, the UG Hescom panels all have been colored by some or the other posters, and each day someone one comes up and pastes another one on the existing poster.
Most of these hoardings carry pictures of political leaders of different parties. These are installed on different occasions like festivals, Jayanti’s etc.
Even when there is an Assembly session most such posters are put up at many places.
There are so many BIG size hoardings available, why can’t they use them, not that they make the city beautiful but at least they have paid some taxes to the Govt(Hopefully).
What the law says:
The Karnataka Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement Act), 1981 according to which you cannot erect, inscribe, or advertise without written permission from the local authority. The punishment for breaking with the law is Rs 1,000+ or six-month imprisonment or both.
The Karnataka Municipalities Act 1964 also prevents any kind of advertisement without the written permission of the municipal government without payment of tax.
Despite a ban on plastic banners, political parties use them.
The government of Karnataka has issued a circular which has also imposed a ban on the use, manufacture, supply, storage, transport, sale, and distribution of plastic banners. The notice cites the recent amendment in the Plastic The amendment mandates a ban on single-use plastic items with effect from July 1, 2022. Flexes and banners made up of plastic of less than 100 microns are included under the rule.