Roadside hoardings and posters in major cities and highways in panchayat areas of the State are a matter of great concern. These illegally erected hoardings and posters do not generate any revenue to the panchayats or municipalities. Secondly, these hoardings are located at such dangerous spots, that they distract the drivers and cause accidents. The content of these hoardings also affects the thoughts of the younger generation. Though, we live in the world of advertisements today, these should be monitored thoughtfully. The advertisements should not give misinform society. And most importantly, they shouldn’t be illegal.
The Goa bench of the Bombay High Court has directed the Directorate of Panchayats to come up with an explanation by December-end, on banned (pan masala) hoardings on both sides of river Mandovi. The case pertains to 21 hoardings erected on the banks of Mandovi river in Penha De France panchayat area. In fact, the matter is old but has been delayed in the courts of law. In 2007, the court had taken a suo moto cognizance of hoardings erected on the banks of Mandovi and other rivers, directing the panchayats concerned to demolish the hoardings erected without the permission of the concerned authority. Accordingly, the panchayats had inspected and prepared a list of illegal hoardings.
The Penha de France panchayat had ordered the demolition of 21 illegal hoardings. Some of the hoarding companies challenged the panchayat director’s order. The panchayat order was put on hold. The matter went to the High Court. There, the court directed the panchayat directors to dispose of the cases within a month ie by the end of December 2023. Now, naturally the panchayat director will have to make a decision immediately. The issue of illegal hoardings in the City Corporation of Panjim also came up for discussion. The CCP informed the bench that the illegal hoardings in its jurisdiction will be removed within four weeks. Meanwhile, Mapusa municipality has also been asked to submit an action taken report against the 44 illegal hoardings erected in Mapusa municipal area by December 14, which means that in many places the problem of illegal hoardings exists.
Naturally, the question arises as to how illegal hoardings continue to stand. Hoardings cannot be erected in the jurisdiction without the permission of the concerned municipality or panchayat. But they are still erected. What is the municipality or panchayat doing when they are erected? What is the law enforcing officers doing when they were erected? Since these hoardings are being erected on the side of the road, it cannot be done without anyone noticing it. Then, why are they not taken down when objections are raised? Or why aren’t they told to erect them with formal permission? If this is done, there will be no question of illegal hoardings being erected. Sometimes big hoardings and posters are put up to welcome a political leader. They last there for a long time. Sometimes some posters and hoardings are damaged and are in a precariously hanging state for a long time. So it looks ugly and lives maybe in danger.
Whether these hoardings have permission or not is known. But when prominent leaders come, it is the government that puts up posters and hoardings to welcome them. Sometimes the government puts up such hoardings. In such a situation, the issue of permission becomes secondary. There have been instances in Panjim, when hoardings and posters have been put up without the formal permission of the CCP. When these posters turn into garbage, the CCP claimed that it had not given permission to put up the posters. Sometimes these advertisements in the form of billboards are becoming harmful to society.
If you look from the Panjim side at the banks of Mandovi, or from the bridge over the Mandovi river, the big advertisement of paan masala attracts everyone’s attention. Many have objected to this advertisement. Paan masala, gutka, tobacco products are ruining the youth. So it is not right to advertise pan masala this way. That’s what concerned citizens think. Of course, some say that pan masala is not a tobacco product. That would be true, too. But if there is something in it that makes the youth addicted, it is not right. Similar advertisements are also put up on Kadamba buses. And some of these buses are used to ferry school children. It is not right to have advertisements of pan masala or contraceptives on school buses. When children enquire about it, it becomes difficult to answer them. So buses with such advertisements should not be sent as school buses. It would be more appropriate if government schemes are put on such buses rather than advertising harmful products.
