Ensure compliance of Prevention of Defacement of Property Act

With the negligence on the part of the authorities and the general public of Defacement of Property Act, 1989 in the state, Haryana government today directed the concerned department to comply with the law.
The directives came in the wake of reported perished vegetables lying in the open in 'Apni Mandis' in the state.
While stating this, an official spokesman here today said that such a premises is supposed to be got cleared by the authorities concerned, but they do not bother to get these places cleaned immediately.
The Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board allows 'Apni mandi' for selling vegetables in cities, he added.

In a written communication addressed to all Administrative Secretaries, Head of Departments, Deputy Commissioners, Managing Directors and Chief Administrators of the Boards and Corporations and Registrars of the Universities in the state, their attention have been drawn towards the violation of the provisions of the Act, he said.
The communication further stated during election campaigns for Panchayats, Municipal Corporations, Haryana Legislative Assembly, Lok Sabha as well as election in the various universities or colleges, the parties or bodies concerned defaced public property by hoardings, pasting of posters, flags and remarks on walls, etc.
This, he said, was being seen as negligence and carelessness on the part of the authorities and the general public.

He said that Section 3-A of the Act provided for penalties for the defacement of property, whereas, Section 5 has empowered the state government to take steps as may be necessary to remove defacement and any amount spent in this behalf can be recovered by the Collector as arrears of the land revenue.