Remove illegal hoardings in 24hrs or face criminal action, Sambhajinagar civic body tells netas & outfits

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The civic body on Monday gave a 24-hour ultimatum to politicians and different outfits to voluntarily remove illegal hoardings, or else, face criminal action.The Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation (CSMC) said criminal action would be initiated under the Maharashtra Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, 1995, and the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations Act, 1949, if illegal hoardings are found. It also warned that culpable homicide charges would be invoked if any damage or loss of life takes place due to such hoardings.The crackdown has been ordered after a 27-year-old civic worker got electrocuted while removing an illegal hoarding in the Mukundwadi area on Feb 21."We appeal to everyone concerned to immediately remove hoardings, banners, posters, greeting boards that have been illegally placed on electricity poles, roadsides, public places, and at any dangerous or risky places within the municipal limits," Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar municipal commissioner G Sreekanth said.The civic administration has appealed to people to maintain the safety and beauty of the city by following the rules.It said illegal hoardings have come up in different parts of the city in violation of the law after the results of the municipal polls were released, and also coincided with the recently celebrated Shiv Jayanti.Congress city and district general secretary Vishal Banswal said the civic body must crack down on illegal hoardings without any fear or favour."Besides posing a threat to public safety, these unauthorised hoardings are defacing the city known as the tourism capital of Maharashtra. These hoardings are leaving a very bad image of the city in the eyes of tourists, including foreigners," he said.