Illegal hoardings in police stations

The drive against illegal hoardings in the City has turned a farce as police themselves have allowed illegal hoardings on police station premises.

BBMP Commissioner M Lakshminarayana and Bangalore City Police Commissioner M N Reddi had announced crackdown on illegal hoardings, flexboards and banners in the City, a few days ago.

Recently some corporators came out with details that at least 15 police station premises have illegal hoardings. Also, these were in gross violation of the advertisement byelaws of the BBMP as their size was much bigger than permissible limits.

The modus operandi of advertisers was inserting an inconspicuous social message on behalf of Bangalore police below the advertisement, which missed public attention.

Former mayors B S Sathyanarayana, S K Nataraj, former deputy mayor S Harish and ruling party leader in BBMP Council, Ashwath Narayana Gowda, who unearthed the police-advertisers' nexus called on police commissioner and complained about it. They also handed over the proof in the form of photographs.

Reddi told the delegation that he would ensure their immediate removal and find out if there was any stay by the High Court on them and also get it vacated. Besides, an inquiry into these illegal hoardings will be ordered, he said and added that responsibility would be fixed on officials concerned and stringent action would be taken against them.