In a unique initiative, CPM-led opposition in the council has decided to set out on a journey across 74 divisions to identify the actual number of illegal hoardings and flex boards in the city. The opposition’s move to start the journey came after the corporation failed to present the list which they had been asking for the last two years.
According to the leader of opposition in Kochi, K J Antony, the major chunk of revenue to the corporation comes through advertisement tax, following the building and property tax. “But in Kochi, the revenue received through advertisements has touched an all-time low. This is because, anyone is installing advertisement and flex boards without paying a single penny,” he said adding that the corporation failed to present the actual number despite being asked several times. “We have a commitment towards the public.”
For accomplishing the survey, the opposition will be helped by councilors, Kudumbashree workers, NGO associations and retired engineers. “We have already constituted a team headed by councilors. Each team will be entrusted with the task of collecting the data from the assigned area, which will be divided on the basis of zones such as Central, Vyttila, Edappally, Fort Kochi and Mattanchery. We have also approached the hoarding and flex boards associations which erected the boards after completing all formalities,” said the opposition leader.
According to him, the journey will start after the upcoming council session. “We have given a final chance for the Mayor to table the number of illegal flex boards and hoardings in the upcoming council meeting. If they failed to do so, we will start our journey to find out the actual number of illegal hoardings and flex boards,” said Antony. Earlier, the opposition had carried out similar protests when the corporation failed to present the actual number of the vehicles it was using for transporting the garbage to the Brahmapuram plant.
