DCC inactive in removing illegal billboards
Saturday, 27 November 2010
Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) has been moving at a snail's pace in carrying out the High Court order to pull down illegal billboards from the city, reports bdnews24.com.
Sources said, there were nearly 2,500 unauthorised billboards of which only 230 had been removed in last eight months.
On March 15, two people were killed when a billboard collapsed in the city's Gulshan area. Besides, billboard breakdowns at Bijoy Sharani intersection, one in Dhanmondi this February and another one in Gabtali area last year injured several people.
Following such mishaps, the High Court on March 21 ordered DCC to remove all the illegal billboards from the city.
DCC official Bipin Kumar Shaha, who is responsible for removing unauthorised billboards, however, could not provide any list of unauthorised billboards.
It is alleged that DCC officials have been reluctant in removing the billboards. One billboard at the city's Kalabagan area has remained partially removed since April.
Another billboard in front of Sohrawardy Uddyan near TSC intersection in Dhaka University has been partially dismantled while many other risky billboards in the city's Kuril and Gulshan areas remained untouched.
In most of the cases, DCC appeared to have carried out its responsibility merely by removing the advertising image, not the structures which can collapse at any time causing serious mishaps.
Billboard owners usually run their business by having a lease from the city corporation. But in most cases, they do not care for regulations and set up billboards at unauthorised risky points.
Usually, the city corporation sanctions a billboard lease for Tk 50-100 per square foot for a year.
Billboard Owners' Association president Rafiqul Islam claimed if DCC had worked sincerely, the situation could have been better.
He also said that had the DCC been sincere in their drive, all the illegal billboards in the city could have been removed within a year.
A billboard owner, speaking on condition of anonymity, alleged that some DCC officials were involved in corrupt practices in approving unauthorised billboards at risky points in lieu of a kickback.
He also said that a concerned DCC official is paid Tk 30,000-40,000 a year in exchange for permission to set up an illegal billboard.
"This is why DCC is showing reluctance in removing the illegal billboards," he added.
Shaha said that he removed 140 unauthorised billboards after he was given the responsibility in May. He also said that earlier only 90 billboards had been removed.
Billboards, set up on the buildings, are not presently being removed following a writ petition with the High Court.
Shaha said that the half-removed billboards would be dismantled soon. There might be about 1600-1700 unauthorised billboards in the city, he said, adding hastily, "But we have no exact statistical data."
He also said that a list of legal billboards would soon be published on DCC website.
Sources said, there were nearly 2,500 unauthorised billboards of which only 230 had been removed in last eight months.
On March 15, two people were killed when a billboard collapsed in the city's Gulshan area. Besides, billboard breakdowns at Bijoy Sharani intersection, one in Dhanmondi this February and another one in Gabtali area last year injured several people.
Following such mishaps, the High Court on March 21 ordered DCC to remove all the illegal billboards from the city.
DCC official Bipin Kumar Shaha, who is responsible for removing unauthorised billboards, however, could not provide any list of unauthorised billboards.
It is alleged that DCC officials have been reluctant in removing the billboards. One billboard at the city's Kalabagan area has remained partially removed since April.
Another billboard in front of Sohrawardy Uddyan near TSC intersection in Dhaka University has been partially dismantled while many other risky billboards in the city's Kuril and Gulshan areas remained untouched.
In most of the cases, DCC appeared to have carried out its responsibility merely by removing the advertising image, not the structures which can collapse at any time causing serious mishaps.
Billboard owners usually run their business by having a lease from the city corporation. But in most cases, they do not care for regulations and set up billboards at unauthorised risky points.
Usually, the city corporation sanctions a billboard lease for Tk 50-100 per square foot for a year.
Billboard Owners' Association president Rafiqul Islam claimed if DCC had worked sincerely, the situation could have been better.
He also said that had the DCC been sincere in their drive, all the illegal billboards in the city could have been removed within a year.
A billboard owner, speaking on condition of anonymity, alleged that some DCC officials were involved in corrupt practices in approving unauthorised billboards at risky points in lieu of a kickback.
He also said that a concerned DCC official is paid Tk 30,000-40,000 a year in exchange for permission to set up an illegal billboard.
"This is why DCC is showing reluctance in removing the illegal billboards," he added.
Shaha said that he removed 140 unauthorised billboards after he was given the responsibility in May. He also said that earlier only 90 billboards had been removed.
Billboards, set up on the buildings, are not presently being removed following a writ petition with the High Court.
Shaha said that the half-removed billboards would be dismantled soon. There might be about 1600-1700 unauthorised billboards in the city, he said, adding hastily, "But we have no exact statistical data."
He also said that a list of legal billboards would soon be published on DCC website.