Pune: Civic bodies have ramped up action against illegal hoardings, banners and flexes across Pimpri Chinchwad and Pune in the last few days in the wake of upcoming local elections.A senior official from the PCMC’s sky sign department said between Oct 27 and 30, as many as 4,246 illegal flexes and kiosks were removed and collected Rs 1.2 lakh in fines from violators. Earlier this week, PCMC commissioner Shravan Hardikar chaired a review meeting with department officials and directed them to also take help from local police to ensure swift removal of all illegal structures.On the other hand, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) officials from the sky sign department said the drive was intensified immediately after Diwali. In the last 10 days, over 25,000 illegal flexes, banners and hoardings were taken down, including 4,200 removed on Oct 24 alone.The civic officials from both municipal corporations said the ongoing drive aims to tackle the growing menace of unauthorised displays, particularly those put up by political aspirants extending festival greetings. “Aspirants have been putting up flexes for every festival, which has increased our workload. Around 70% of the flexes removed belonged to politicians,” a PCMC official said.Despite repeated appeals from leaders including chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, to their party workers to not to install illegal banners, civic officials said the impact on violators was minimal. Pawar, during one of his visits to Pimpri Chinchwad, even appealed to citizens not to vote for those who flout the law, but officials said violations continue unabated.Civic activists and residents, however, criticised the timing of the crackdown. “The cities were flooded with political banners during Diwali. The civic bodies acted only after the festival ended, showing a lack of seriousness,” said Nisar Shaikh, a Pimpri resident.Another resident, Manoj Chavan, said merely removing banners is not enough. “Police should register cases against violators. Unless political parties act against their workers, this nuisance will persist,” he added. (With inputs from Sarang Dastane) GFXA MENACE EVERYWHEREPCMC and PMC have intensified action against illegal hoardings, banners and flexes ahead of local body electionsAs of date, PCMC has removed as many as 4,246 illegal hoardings, banners and flexes between Oct 27 and 30PMC, on the other hand, has removed over 25,000 illegal structures including hoardings, flexes, etc, in the last ten daysQUOTES:The cities were flooded with political banners during Diwali. The civic bodies acted only after the festival ended, showing a lack of seriousnessNisar Shaikh | Pimpri residentAspirants have been putting up flexes for every festival, which has increased our workload. Around 70% of the flexes removed belonged to politiciansa PCMC official
