City wears an ugly attire yet again, thanks to election fever

After Bombay high court's order asking all municipal corporations to remove illegal hoardings and banners, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) swung into action and conducted a massive drive. But the election fever has made their task tougher.
So far, the civic officials claimed that they have removed over 1,000 hoardings, banners and flexes from across the city. But nearly double the number of banners are being put up again by politicos ahead of the general elections forcing the civic authorities to make repeated rounds of the areas.
The court has also given directions to civic bodies to file compliance report by March 15.
A PMC official said, "We have undertaken a massive drive and have removed nearly 1,000 hoardings and banners so far. Most of the banners and flexes are of political parties and even birthday wishes."
"We have observed that the banners and flex are being erected again at the place from where they were removed. We have no option but to carry out multiple drives in the same area to remove the banners," said the official.
Vijay Dahibhate, head of sky sign department of PMC said, "We have issued notices to the concerned people in Kothrud, Satara Road, Solapur Road and are will also be filing criminal cases against those who will be found installing illegal hoardings."
This is not the first time that the high court has given directives to the municipal corporations to take up a drive against such hoardings. The civic body is also carrying out the drive at ward level.
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