IMC says no permission sought; Violates Union Government orders
IT News
Imphal, Dec 4:
Days after Manipur celebrates the announcement of Manipur as the most improved state among the small states of India by the India Today group, Imphal sees large scale erection of flag poles of various political parties, billboards of intending candidates at the road medians of almost all roads including the National Highway. When Imphal Times enquired the Imphal Municipalities authority today morning, it is being informed that no individuals or political parties had applied for permission of erecting the flags or billboards of their respective intending candidates or political parties.
Political parties or any individuals need prior information for use of government land either for election campaigns or for private advertisement matters. For use of government land (state highways) in the Imphal Municipal Corporation, the individual takes some amount of fees which is an income for the IMC. Even as no information on the number of fees for erecting political parties flag-pole on government land particularly at the road median, official source said that the IMC charges Rs. 45/- per sq feet for billboards for a period of one year. However, it is mandatory for any individuals to take prior permission for erecting political party flag poles at roads or government land in the jurisdiction of IMC.
On the other hand, the district administration is taking no action to the erection of flag poles of political parties on the road median of National Highways in their respective jurisdiction. According to an order dated May 16, 2002, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India had banned advertisement hoardings on all national Highways within the Right way.
A reminder of the order was circulated to all the concerned authorities of all states and union territories of the government of India on September 7, 201. The reminder sent to the state and UTs said that “ no advertisement hoardings are permitted on National highways within the Right of Way except informatory signs of public interest such as hospitals, bus station etc. or advertisement of temporary nature announcing local events such as Mela, Flower Show etc.
On the other hand, in April 2019, the Madras High court had stated that large-scale erection of flag poles of political parties in public places without permission was an act of encroachment to government land. The court also stated that penal action should be taken against such violators.
Passing the order on a PIL seeking a complete ban on the erection of flag poles in public places, a bench comprising justices S Manikumar and Subramonium Prasad, said encroachment on public property such as roads, streets would lead to congestion of traffic and cause inconvenience to the users. “Erection of poles without permission is an encroachment as per the provisions of the statutes,” it said. “It is alarming that as against several thousands of flag poles in the state, only two poles have been erected with permission and other three covered under court orders,” it said, adding that nobody had a right to encroach public properties.
