Upa Lokayukta issues notice to Palike chief on illegal hoardings

BBMP commissioner asked to furnish reply in person by November 7

The Upa Lokayukta has issued a show-cause notice to the commissioner of Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike for spending a huge sum of money to remove illegal advertisement hoardings but not collecting any penalty or tax on them.

The Palike is spending Rs two crore to remove unauthorised advertisement hoardings in just three out of eight divisions, while suffering revenue loss to the tune of Rs 300 cr to 350 cr every year.

According to BBMP, the agencies which have been appointed to remove these hoardings are not collecting penalty  or tax from advertisers. 

“The material collected after dismantling the steel structures are also not accounted for. Still, such agencies are paid Rs two crore every year with no returns to the BBMP. Even with an offer of payment of removal charges, agencies have come forward in respect of only three divisions. In the rest of the five divisions, no agency has come forward,” Justice Adi said.

Meanwhile, an agency by name Eagle Eye Enforcement Solutions has approached the BBMP, offering to undertake removal of illegal hoardings, collect penalty and advertisement tax. 

The agency stated that its offer had been accepted by the BBMP commissioner and standing committees on Appeals and Taxation.

“The BBMP Council, also in its meeting dated December 30 in 2013, approved the proposal. However, for reasons best known to the BBMP, there is no further action in this regard. It appears that the file is deliberately kept pending at the behest of some vested interests within BBMP,”  Justice Adi observed in his order.
BBMP had submitted that there were more than 20,000 advertisement hoardings in the City but it had not been able to submit the list of unauthorised hoardings, so far. 

Justice Adi noted that in 2008 the then commissioner had banned the issue of licences for advertisement hoardings.

“If no new license has been granted since 2008, how can so many advertisement hoardings be erected in the City? It could not have been possible for advertisement agencies to put up hoardings without the connivance of BBMP and Bescom officials,” the order says.

“Why should it not be inferred that the loss that the BBMP has suffered so far is due to the negligence of officials and why can’t action be initiated?” Justice Adi sought to know.

The Upa Lokayukta has directed the BBMP commissioner to submit a response in this regard by November 7, in person.