Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur
Puttur, March 7: While urban areas have long struggled with unauthorised flexes and banners, even rural areas are not far behind in this issue. Local administration bodies, including municipal councils and grama panchayats, have turned a blind eye to the problem, failing to regulate the installation of these flexes and banners, which have a direct impact on public health.
In the 22 grama panchayat areas of the taluk, towering flexes and banners can be found in busy areas and along roadsides. Despite rules that require permission from local authorities to install such displays, there has been no enforcement of this regulation, and no fines have been imposed. From prominent politicians to ordinary citizens, everyone seems to be putting up their own flexes.
Flexes turned into business
What is surprising is that the installation of these flexes has turned into a business. Property owners with private land along national, state, and district roads are renting out space for flexes and banners for a fixed price and duration.
Most of these installations use plastic banners, contributing significantly to environmental damage. For example, hundreds of such flexes can be seen along the Mysuru National Highway from Kabaka to Kavu, despite claims of approval from local authorities. This raises the question: How can such approvals be given when it is clear that plastic flexes cause harm to the environment?
Warnings given, but no action taken
A few days ago, the Puttur City Municipal Council issued a public notice, stating that displaying advertisements, banners, hoardings, or posters without permission and without paying the required fees is illegal within the municipal limits.
The notice also clarified that applying for permission and avoiding the fee would be considered a criminal act. However, despite this warning, unauthorised flexes and banners continue to appear, and the local authorities have failed to take significant action. Although some banners have been removed by the municipal council, new ones are quickly put up in their place, often within days.
No fees, no checks
When questioned about the installation of banners, an official from the gram panchayat stated that banners must be installed only after paying the required fee. However, it remains unclear whether plastic banners are even allowed.
In practice, around 90% of the installations are done without paying any fee, and there is no verification as to whether the banners are made from fabric or plastic. "Only when higher authorities step in does any removal action take place," the official said. "But no fines are imposed, and the flexes are put back up the very next day."
The lack of proper regulation and enforcement continues to result in the uncontrolled spread of flexes and banners, causing inconvenience to the public and contributing to environmental damage in rural areas.