NEW DELHI: Following a directive of the state election commission (SEC), Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has made 24 teams in the 12 zones for checking and removing illegal posters and banners defacing public spaces in the wake of the upcoming civic polls. The teams have already started taking action and removed 70,741 banners, posters, hoardings and boards on Saturday, confirmed officials. Local teams are conducting inspections in each zone in the morning and sharing the information with the respective zonal teams to ensure that the illegal banners and posters are removed within 24 hours, they said. “For the banners installed at private buildings in violation of Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, 2007, a 72-hour notice is being issued to remove such unauthorised hoardings, else penal action will be taken,” said an MCD official. In the 12 zones, 4,158 banners, 51,167 posters, 6,183 hoardings and 9,233 boards have been removed in a day. “The maximum figure was in the Central zone, where 13,385 hoardings, banners etc. were removed from public walls/areas. Our teams will intensify the drive in the coming days,” said the official. For the municipal election day, the civic body has finalised duties of 42,000 staff, including teachers, clerical employees and sanitation workers. “We will soon share the information with them,” said the official. A total of 1 lakh polling staff will be engaged from various government agencies in addition to the 11 district election officers, 68 general observers, 68 returning officers, 250 assistant returning officers, 2,000 section officers and 68 expenditure observers. Arrangements are being made at MCD schools to provide assured minimum facilities to voters. “Instructions have been issued to the MCD commissioner and other agencies to ensure that every polling station is equipped with assured minimum facilities like drinking water, sheds, toilets, ramps for the physically challenged voters, a standard voting compartment,” said an SEC official. A civic official confirmed that all steps were being taken to follow the SEC directives. To prevent noise pollution due to haphazard use of loudspeakers during election campaigning, its use has been restricted between 10pm and 6am. “Further, no loudspeaker will be permitted to be used during the restrictive 48 hours before the conclusion of the polls,” said the SEC official.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/24-teams-to-act-against-posters-in-public-space-70k-removed-already/articleshow/95327409.cms