‘Act on hoardings or will appoint panel’

Hearing a batch of PILs on illegal hoardings, the First bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice R Mahadevan, on purusing photographs of unauthorised hoardings, which included a couple of them being placed on Government property, sought to know from the Government counsels as to how authorities failed to have ‘eyes and ears’ while the petitioner did. Also, observing that it has become normal for authorities to remove illegal hoardings just a day or two before the case came up for hearing, they said, “We are unable to understand as to how a hoarding has been allowed at the Department of Aquaculture, part of the fisheries department and the Chetpet Eco Park.” 

Wondering as to whether the authorities were aware of it or preferred to turn a blind eye, directed the Director of Fisheries to be present in the court on August 29, the day of next hearing. The bench also directed, the senior commercial division manager, Southern Railway, to be present, to explain as to how a hoarding was permitted very near the railway tracks. 

The bench also said, “We must express our disappointment that repeatedly new hoardings keep coming up even after orders have been passed. Does it not show that the authorities concerned appear to be either devoid of machinery to check this or doubt is created in their intent? “ The bench also sought the government to work towards creating a single window clearance based on submission by counsels  that they were unable to obtain licences despite adhering to the rules.