The Corporation Council meeting held earlier this week decided that the Town Planning Department of the Kochi Corporation should act against the illegally installed hoardings in the city as soon as possible. The steps initiated in the case should be reported to the council during its next sitting. Mayor Mercy Williams said that the Town Planning Officer will be held responsible for any failure in implementing the directives of the council.

Even the Mayor was complaining against the officials of the department for their alleged failure in  acting against the illegally installed hoardings. Echoing the sentiments of the councilors, Ms.  Williams said that the officials of the department were not providing the real number of hoardings  installed in the city.The officials were limiting their action to issuing notices against those who  installed illegal structures. Several councilors complained that the officials were not giving the true  picture regarding the number of hoardings. Though it was officially stated that there were around  200 hoardings in the central city area, the real number was much more than what was projected by  the officials . C.K. Manisankar, Deputy Mayor, said the officials could demolish the illegal hoardings  and its structures erected on waste pieces of land and public land without issuing notices to the  agencies which installed them. However, notices should be issued to the agencies in case of  hoardings installed on private holdings and buildings.

A.B. Sabu, the leader of the UDF in the council, alleged that the officials were colluding with the  agencies engaged in setting up the hoardings and causing considerable revenue loss to the civic  body. The corporation should take strong action against such corrupt practices. The officials were  issuing notices even in case of illegal structures for facilitating the agencies to obtain injunction  from courts against demolition. Those who took part in the discussion included V.J. Hycinth, T.J. Vinod, K.G. Dinesan, Sabu George and C.K. Gopalan