Illegal hoardings in Maha: 15 cases lodged; billboards, banners removed

As many as 15 cases pertaining to illegal hoardings have been registered in Maharashtra's Latur city, including 11 on a single day, civic officials said.

The Latur Municipal Corporation authorities removed two hoardings and 15 banners from the city on Monday, they said.

The action was taken against the backdrop of the collapse of an illegal hoarding in Mumbai on May 13, which claimed 16 lives and injured several others.

The Latur civic body had given a deadline till Sunday for the removal of illegal hoardings from the city, an official release said on Monday.

After the deadline ended, 11 cases related to illegal hoardings were registered on Monday, it said.

Since last week (after the hoarding crash incident in Mumbai), a total of 15 cases have been registered, the civic body said.

Deputy municipal commissioner Dr Punjab Khansole recently held a meeting with the officials concerned and instructed them to accelerate the process and file cases against violators.

The corporation had initially instructed the respective agencies and property owners to remove the illegal hoardings, giving the deadline till Sunday.

During this period, some agencies and property owners removed illegal hoardings. But, some illegal billboards still remained in the city, the release said.

Taking strict action, the civic body on Monday removed two hoardings of 20 x 30 feet and 15 banners and cases were filed against violators, it said.