Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) imposed a fine of Rs 120 crore on offenders after a ban on illegal flexies was introduced in 2019, but managed to collect only Rs 12 crore.
According to GO No 1163, flexies were banned in the entire state beginning in 1996. Guidelines for implementing the ban were drawn up in October 2019. Over 2 lakh challans have been issued by the civic body since 2019, mostly against unauthorized hoardings and printing companies.
People who fail to pay their fines may be notified to pay the fines or their businesses may be seized. However, no action has been taken against the offenders by the civic body. GHMC coffers have been exhausted as a result of unpaid dues.
“During April, we conducted a drive against printing agencies and issued 1,321 challans. Out of which 83% were commercial hoardings, while the rest were political” a GHMC official was quoted as saying.
In April, GHMC’s Directorate of Enforcement Vigilance and Disaster Management (EV&DM) wing confiscated 1,321 commercial flexis and 253 political flexis from 66 advertising agencies. Show-cause notices were issued to them. Directorate teams conducted a special drive within the GHMC limits and confiscated advertising materials without agency details.
Within GHMC limits, the directorate uses the Central Enforcement Cell (CEC) to impose penalties for unauthorized flexis, banners, cut-outs, ad boards, posters, and wall writings. In October 2019, a mobile application was launched and e-challans were issued.
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According to the EVDM, there are no proper details on flexis to identify the person who has erected it, so the CEC is unable to impose a penalty. Numerous complaints are filed with EV&DM about the illegal erection of flexis, banners and posters.
Therefore, a notice was sent in 2019 to all flexi printers in the GHMC limit to print names, addresses, contact information, and names of printing agencies of the people ordering flexis, said Viswajit Kampati, director, EV&DM.
According to him, flexi printers were not printing details even after issuing notices, so ads and materials were confiscated to identify them.
The director said that any materials discovered without details will be confiscated and show-cause notices issued to explain why action should not be taken under the Act.
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