Patna, May 20: Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) is planning action against mobile companies who have erected mobile towers without taking a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the civic agency.

The empowered standing committee of the PMC decided in a meeting today that a notice to all the defaulting companies would be sent soon.

“Many telecom majors like Reliance Telecom and others have not taken an NOC for even a single mobile tower even though there are a number of them across the city. We have, therefore, decided to send a notice to them to apply for the NOC immediately,” said Afzal Imam, the city mayor. He also said that as companies had approached Patna High Court against PMC’s orders to revise the mobile tower charges, the committee had asked that the orders be brought up in the next meeting for consideration before deciding the next course of action.

According to PMC rules, earlier the companies had to pay Rs 80,000 to PMC at the time of installation and had to pay Rs 10,000 as an annual fee. “Apart from that, they were supposed to pay Rs 6,000 a month to the house or land owner where the mobile tower is put up. Later on, the state urban development department revised the fee structure and ruled that the companies will have to pay Rs 6,000 per metre (height) per year to the PMC. The companies moved the high court against this decision and an interim order was passed by the court recently in this regard,” said a source.

The mayor said the committee therefore wanted to study the court order and if the court puts a stay on PMC orders, it will also move the court against the companies.

Case of illegal hoardings was also discussed during the meeting. “The Supreme Court had recently ruled that no private buildings can be allowed to put up billboards as it poses a safety hazard. Therefore, we have decided that ward inspectors will carry out a detailed survey of billboards and their locations. Thereafter, action will be taken,” Imam said,against the companies,”