Posters put up in front of the state emblem at the Master Canteen roundabout. Pictures by Ashwinee Pati.

Bhubaneswar, Jan. 8: Signboards, posters and flags of political parties have almost covered the sculpture of the famous warrior horse at Master Canteen Square — which once, by virtue of its beauty, used to grab eyeballs.

The disregard of political parties, as well as private agencies, towards the state emblem that symbolises the bravery of the Kalingan soldiers has drawn the ire from a wide section of the society.

“The warrior horse of Konark is a state emblem and our pride as it depicts the bravery of the Kalingan soldiers. Political parties, as well as government and private agencies, should stop disfiguring it by putting up posters and hoardings,” said advocate and human rights activist Prabir Kumar Das.

Das said it was unfortunate that posters and hoardings, put up at the place, were not removed by the respective agencies even after the events got over.

The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation and the Bhubaneswar Development Authority, too, have never thought of taking action against those who turn the traffic island that houses the emblem into an eyesore.

According to the Odisha Municipal Corporation Act, 2003, a person cannot encroach upon government land for putting up posters or hoardings. The civic authorities have the power to demolish or remove them immediately. However, display boards can be put up at a particular place with the permission of the authorities by paying a licence fee.

Sources in the corporation, however, confirmed that not a single agency, putting up their display boards at Master Canteen Square, had sought their permission.

Since the development authority had developed the roundabout nearly three decades ago, The Telegraph sought their comments on the issue. Public relations officer of the authority Madhumita Rath said: “People should refrain from indulging in such activities that take a toll on the city’s cleanliness. The display boards and flags at the Master Canteen roundabout should have been removed.”

Schoolteacher Jasaswini Mohapatra said: “The civic body should formulate a mechanism to punish those polluting the cityscape with unwanted propaganda materials. Whether they are political outfits or any other organisation, they cannot be allowed to do this to the state emblem.”

In May last year, police had put a closed-circuit television camera mounted on a bamboo pole on the sculpture of the horse.

However, after a report in this regard had been published in The Telegraph on May 22, police commissioner R.P. Sharma asked for its removal from the spot.

In the first week of June, the camera was placed on a pole at a distance from the sculpture.

Suryanarayan Das, an art lover and resident of Old Town, said: “We are fortunate to have inherited several beautiful monuments, but it pains me to find them lying neglected. The violators should be punished.”