Corporation removes illegal hoardings

Chennai, Apr 10 (UNI) Following the Supreme Court (SC) order, Chennai Corporation has started removing all the illegal hoardings in the city since last night, Corporation Mayor M Subramanian, said here today.

According to Chennai Corporation, more than 4,500 hoardings would be brought down.

Talking to newspersons Mr Subramanian said zonal officers in the ten zones coming under Corporation limits had been given the authority to remove the hoardings.

''All illegal hoardings will be removed within a couple of days,'' he said, adding ''we have removed more than 150 illegal hoardings during the first phase.'' Chennai Corporation Joint Commissioner Prem Chandran said the officials had also been instructed to remove big hoardings at busy junctions only during late night so that traffic was not disturbed.

More than 100 people would be engaged and about 20 gas-cutters would be used to cut the support pillars of the hoardings after tearing down the printed sheets, he added.

The SC yesterday upheld a Madras High Court's order on removal of unauthorised and unlicenced hoardings, which were proving to be traffic hazards.

The petitions were filed by Tamil Nadu Private Sites Hoarding Owners Association, M/s Novva Ads, Tamil Nadu Outdoor Advertising Association and others.

They contended that the law only empowered the authorities to refuse licence or permission for renewal or remove the hoardings if they were hazardous and disturbing movement of traffic.

UNI SNR JT HT1722