Madras HC directs authorities to remove illegal hoardings

The Madras High Court today observed that there was violation of its order in connection with the erection of flex boards and hoardings here and directed authorities concerned to remove them and file a status report by March 5.
The first bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Abdul Quddhose suo motu took up a PIL based on three letters written by social activist 'Traffic' Ramaswamy to the Commissioner of Police, alleging illegal erection of banners in the city in view of late chief minister J Jayalalithaa's birth anniversary last month.
Ramaswamy had also marked a copy of the letters to the Chief Justice of the High Court among others.

He sought action against officials for allowing the unauthorised erection of flex boards and banners.
The bench expressed dissatisfaction over the manner in which the hoardings were put up, causing inconvenience to the public, across the city.
When the matter was taken up, the Chief Justice said, "When I was on the way to Airport, I saw hoardings on the pavement and the road side was fixed beyond seven feet height.. It is contrary to the order of the High Court."

"What are the Corporation and Police authorities doing? Every where there is violation," it observed.
The judges then directed the police and Chennai corporation authorities to remove all the hoardings and file a status report by Monday.

On October 23, the high court had passed an order imposing a blanket ban on banners or hoardings carrying images of people who are alive, across the state.