Common sight: ‘Poster culture’ continues to deface public places

Tribune News Service

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Amritsar, September 30

The defacement of public places by illegal posters and advertisements has irked members of a city-based NGO. Though, from time to time, many persons and NGOs have come forward and lodged a complaint with the MC in this regard, the menace fails to subside. This time Voice of Amritsar has brought the issue to the MC’s notice. The walls and pillars under flyovers, especially elevated roads, have been defaced with posters.

“Sticking posters on public places is an offence under Sections 425 and 434 of the IPC and can invite one-year imprisonment. Instead of punishing those who stick posters in the night for money, the law should frame those institutions and enterprises, which advertise through this illegal method. Amritsar is a holy city, which is visited by a large number of tourists from the country and abroad, and one can well imagine the impression the illegal posters leave on visitors. There is an elevated road leading to the Golden Temple parking where many posters have been stick,” said Seenu Arora, president of Voice of Amritsar.

He added that they had approached the Mayor and MC officials many times, complaining about the regular defacement. “For a few days, posters are removed and walls are cleaned. But no long-term solution seems in sight as they are back on the same places once the officials start ignoring the problem.”

The heritage gates inside the walled city too have been defaced by illegal banners and posters. Even walls of many government offices in the city are covered with posters.

Most of the posters and advertisements bear the names and details of the institutions/individuals responsible for the defacement. But the MC has on many occasions failed to take action or penalise the culprits. “We urge the Mayor, Rintu Karamjit Sandhu, to propose in the House to impose heavy fines and imprisonments to those whose names would be advertised on posters defacing public properties. Only then can the violators be checked from doing so,” said Seenu.