New Delhi: Delhi Government today directed
MCD, NDMC and police to strictly carry out an anti-defacement
drive and clear the city of the numerous posters, banners and
unauthorised hoardings before commencement of the Commonwealth
Games next month.
At a meeting with senior officials of the three agencies,
Finance Minister A K Walia asked both the civic bodies to
enforce provisions of the Delhi Defacement Act, which
envisages stringent action including hefty fine and
imprisonment of those defacing public properties.
Officials said around 63,000 posters, banners and
hoardings were removed in areas under MCD across the city
during January to August while 247 cases were registered
against the offenders during April to August. As many as 232
persons were arrested for defacing public properties in the
same period.
They said 63 people were already convicted of which 38
were from North district. As per statistics, a maximum of 83
cases were registered in North District followed by 61 in
Outer district, 46 in South district and one in North-West
district.
In NDMC areas, 249 hoardings and 44 advertisement boards
were removed between April and July.
Walia told the agencies to make sincere efforts in
September to clear the city of posters, banners and
unauthorised hoardings so that a "beautiful Delhi can be
presented during the Games beginning October 3.
MCD and NDMC officials told Walia they were finding it
difficult in get FIRs registered against the offenders as
police was not cooperating with them.
Walia said he has already written to Police Commissioner Y
S Dadwal on the issue, requesting him to issue necessary
instructions to the DCPs to extend all help to the civic
agencies.
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit had yesterday appealed to
the citizens to spruce up their localities so that a "clean
and beautiful Delhi" could be presented during the event.
Government last week had appealed to the citizens to
whitewash their houses ahead of the event.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, September 01, 2010, 22:04