Sambalpur, Feb. 19: The civic body has launched a drive to remove commercial hoardings, billboards and banners installed in front of shops and business establishments.
"We have already removed more than 200 unauthorised advertisement boards, hoardings and banners. The drive will continue. We have also decided to remove unauthorised hoardings from Burla and Hirakud," said a civic official.
"We are removing the commercial hoardings, boards and banners, which have been installed without the corporation's permission," said deputy commissioner of Sambalpur Municipal Corporation Sudhansu Bhoi.
"A shop owner can install boards displaying his establishment's name, but he is not allowed to display advertisements. If they want to display them, he or she will require the corporation's permission and pay a certain amount for that. We have taken a decision to strictly implement the rule," said Bhoi.
The civic body has decided to charge the commercial establishments Rs 50 per sqft to display advertisements.
The corporation had also announced the rule and asked shop owners to apply for permission and said it would remove the hoardings installed without permission. "It is an additional source of income for the civic body," said Bhoi.
"Hoardings, billboards, banners of several companies - telecom, electronic goods, soft drinks, garments, mobile phones - are often installed in front of the city's business establishments. They are displaying such advertisements without permission of the civic body and are also not paying anything to the civic body," said a corporation official. "The civic body will earn revenue from advertisement if it can strictly enforce the rule. Several development works could be undertaken with that money," said local resident Rudra Pradhan.