Illegal advertisements back on roadsides in Patiala

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Patiala, April 4

Despite change in government, supporters and local leaders of political parties continue to install illegal political flex boards on walls, electricity poles and other places in the city. The violation not only leads to revenue loss for the Municipal Corporation but the illegal affixation of such flex boards is also a road hazard.

Illegal flex boards congratulating newly-elected MLAs continue to pour out on city roadsides every day. From congratulating Patiala MLA Ajit Pal Singh Kohli for winning the seat to congratulating Aam Aadmi Party’s Harpal Singh Cheema for becoming the finance minister, the congratulatory messages for party leaders are written loud on roadsides. Importantly, the number of such boards has increased, wherein the local loaders have not left a single chowk without such illegal installations.

Residents said, “The rampant violation being witnessed now was absent when the model code of conduct for Assembly election was implemented. “The Election Commission keeps a tab on the expenditure incurred by candidates and political parties. Such expenditures on advertisements are included in it. Therefore, political parties avoided affixing illegal flex boards on roadsides.”

Revenue loss for MC

The illegal affixation of flex boards regularly leads to losses for the Municipal Corporation as the affixers do not pay the requisite amount of money to the local body for the installation as per the Punjab Municipal Outdoor Advertisement Act. This has also resulted in exponential drop in tender prices of advertisement sites of the Municipal Corporation in the past.

As per the MC budget passed a few days ago, it managed to collect Rs 1.50 crore during previous fiscal year. Officials said, “We were able to reach the target collection during 2021-22 due to implementation of the model code of conduct. All political advertisements were affixed on legal sites and there was no violation.”