Are you aware that putting up a poster on the public walls in Delhi can lead you behind bars for a year or leave you with a fine of upto Rs 50,000 or both? Today as Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) asks us to observe Poster Free Day, it has warned that sticking of posters or writing or painting on walls in public view is a penalised crime.
To some, posters are a medium to voice their pet concerns. For others, these are means of spreading information. We ask a few Delhiites for their take on the writing on the wall.
“The posters which advertise a commercial product definitely deface the city landscape, but what’s wrong if they are spreading awareness on social issues like AIDS, smoking hazards and rash driving?” asks Rishika Jairath, a student of Jagannath Institute of Management Sciences. Raajan Sharma, a graphic designer, has an extreme view. “I am totally against big banners, hoardings and posters. They just ruin the city’s beauty,” he says.
“The authorities should provide the citizens with a specified place or wall. This way the information could be carried without defacing our streets,” says Deepika Nagpal,a student in Lady Shriram College. “Posters are a reflection of our democracy. They can’t be banned. But again one should be aware about where they should be put up,” says Samta Arora, marketing head with a NGO.