Read Time: 04 minutes

Synopsis

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday pulled up the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation for failing to take down hoardings outside the high court and surrounding fort area.

“You permitted hoarding In front of the high court also? Who is the officer? You people have started taking court for granted like this. Why has this happened? How did you allow this? You and the commissioner will say this should not have happened? Why was it not reported by the ward officer to the commissioner?” the order states.

The high court's division bench comprising Chief Justice Devendra Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar was hearing a plea concerning illegal hoardings being put up by different individuals and organisations.

Furthermore, the high court remarked that it was not a good site to see hoardings around the flora fountain.

“Why can't understand how after such orders repeatedly in the heart of the city, in the fort area, the richest municipal corporation is not acting in accordance with the law and order of the court? How can you be so ignorant? Does it not pinch you? What is your commissioner doing? See such a beautiful fountain covered by hoardings. Is it a good site?” the court said.

The bench in its order noted that it despite its clear directions the municipal corporations have failed to check illegal hoardings and banners.

“Despite our explicit and clear direction issued earlier, it appears concrete steps are not being taken by the municipal corporation of Mumbai and other corporations to check illegal hoardings/banners etc. We already expressed our concern in an earlier order about environmental hazard which such hoarding may cause,” the order states.

While expressing displeasure over political hoardings the bench said “In an earlier order, the court cautioned political party and reminded them about the undertaking given by them, however, it appears that the political party and organisation do not have respect for court orders,” the order reads.

The bench said that since all its directions and orders have fallen on deaf ears of authorities it asked the Advocate General to take instructions and appear before the bench tomorrow.