HC posts PIL to October 3

The Madras High Court today posted a PIL seeking a direction on removing illegal hoardings in the city, for further hearing to October 3.
Earlier, on August 10, the court had taken a serious view of hoardings coming up in government premises and unauthorised hoardings in railway areas and said it could have no option but to appoint a court committee to monitor and check the menace, if authorities fail to take steps in this regard.
It had asked top officials to be personally present on the next date of hearing following which the Commissioner of Fisheries Department as well as Senior Divisional Commercial Manager of Southern Railways were present today.

After perusing their affidavits with regard to hoardings in their premises, the court said:"We are of the view that you cannot place the cart before the horse and the permission should be obtained first before installing the hoardings and would be subject to terms and conditions."
"...The fact however remains that the hoardings have been installed without verifying whether necessary permissions have been obtained from authorities concerned. We have cautioned the Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Southern Railways that revenue generation cannot be achieved by breaching law, more so when it is a question of the railways, which is of the government."

When the petitioner brought to the notice of the bench that advertisements on bus shelters were being installed without any license, the Additional Advocate General assured the court that the matter would be looked into.

The AAG further assured that the issue of advertisements on certain police booths would also be looked into and a status report filed on the next date of hearing.
The AAG submitted that a single window clearing system has been established to process applications for erection of hoardings, as per an earlier suggestion of the bench.
The bench then posted the matter for further hearing to October 3.