The Patiala municipal corporation (MC) on Thursday finally woke up from its slumber and asked the police department to book as many as 15 firms, many of them renowned coaching centres, for defacing and littering city’s property by pasting advertisement posters.
“A list of these institutes have already been forwarded to SSP, Patiala who will book them under Punjab Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, 1997 in a day or so,” said MC Commissioner PS Gill
He said the action was necessitated since they did not respond to the warning of the civic body against defacement. “With many of them are coaching institutes, I wonder what kind of education they impart to students when they can’t respect the city’s beautification,” he added.
He said the MC had given them enough opportunities by serving three showcause notices to remove their posters from public properties, but they did not pay any heed to those notices. Once booked, the violators can be punished with imprisonment for a term extending up to six months or a fine up to Rs 1,000 or both under the said Act, it is learnt.
Those whose names have been recommended for FIR include M/s Better Think, Seema Electronics, Bhardwaj computers, Bansal Lesik Lesar centre, Grey Matters, GMT Associates, Vishal Associates, Graphikala Pakers, Health Zone Technology, Pratham Academy, Banni Milk, Bombay Dying, Jain Handloom, Bachpan Play School and Vajan Gatao Ltd.
{{/usCountry}}Those whose names have been recommended for FIR include M/s Better Think, Seema Electronics, Bhardwaj computers, Bansal Lesik Lesar centre, Grey Matters, GMT Associates, Vishal Associates, Graphikala Pakers, Health Zone Technology, Pratham Academy, Banni Milk, Bombay Dying, Jain Handloom, Bachpan Play School and Vajan Gatao Ltd.
{{/usCountry}}WHEN WILL MC REMOVE ILLEGAL HOARDINGS OF POLITICAL PARTIES?
Even as it has initiated action against defacement, the MC is silent and not taking adequate action for removing hoardings of political parties that dot the entire city. Most of these hoardings belong to ruling SAD government leaders. With the MC ruled by the SAD-led government, the officials are too hesitant to follow the law book. It is despite the fact that the Punjab and Haryana high court had clearly directed the Patiala MC to remove all the illegal hoarding earlier this year. The high court orders clearly stand violated.