BMC files 352 complaints against parties

[1]

In findings which may raise questions about their own authenticity, five wards in the city were found to be without any illegal hoardings and banners during the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s drive against such hoardings during Ganeshotsav. The BMC has filed 352 police complaints against political parties and others for putting up unauthorised hoardings.
The civic body’s data on action taken against hoardings in all 24 wards of the city shows that A (CST to Cuffe Parade), C (Bhuleshwar, Marine Lines), D (Tardeo, Girgaum, Malabar Hill), G/South (Worli, Prabhadevi) and N (Ghatkopar) are the wards where no action was taken against unauthorised hoardings.
Interestingly, areas like Girgaum, Worli and Prabhadevi are the ones where Ganeshotsav is celebrated with much fanfare, giving political parties and corporates an opportunity to display their support in the form of banners and advertisements.
“In our area, there were too many political hoardings during Ganeshotsav. How can the BMC data show that there was no illegal hoarding in that area?” asked Yogesh Walawalkar, a resident of Girgaum.
L (Kurla) with 38 complaints, and T (Mulund), with 37, have emerged as the wards with the highest number of illegal hoardings. R/C (Borivali), with 33, is on the third spot followed by G/North (Dadar, Mahim) and S (Bhandup) with 31 each.
Among the 352 FIRs filed against political parties, the highest are against Shiv Sena (43), followed by the Congress (42). The NCP, the MNS and the BJP had 28, 24 and 16 complaints filed against them respectively by the BMC.
The BMC has filed these FIRs under the prevention of Defacement of Property Act and also under Sections 328(a) and 471 of the MMC Act.
The civic body had banned political banners within a 100-metre radius of pandals during Ganeshotsav. A total of over 450 banners and posters were removed during the festival.