Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada   

Row over removal of hoarding

Staff Reporter

Fans of film star pick argument with municipal corporation officials

ACTION-PACKED: Workers engaged by the town planning wing of the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation removing a Telugu film hoarding in Vijayawada on Monday. — Photo: Ch. Vijaya Bhaskar

VIJAYAWADA: Fans of film star Balakrishna entered into argument with officials of Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) on Monday, when the latter removed a vinyl hoarding of Balakrishna's new release `Veerabhadra' erected at Navi Park opposite the VMC's main office.

Eluru-based Ambica Cinema Productions Private Limited, the film's production house, put up the 250 ft-long and 30 ft-wide hoarding at a cost of Rs.5 lakhs. It was sought to be displayed strategically along the right bank of Krishna eastern main canal.

In-charge Assistant City Planner (One Town) Bhanu Murthy and other staff of town-planning wing got the hoarding removed saying that prior permission had not been taken.

But the producer's representatives and fans, who were supervising the erection of the hoarding, contended that they had paid Rs.9,900 to Supra Ads, to which the VMC had outsourced collection of advertisement tax, for display of the hoarding from April 19 to June 18.

They also produced a copy of the order issued by executive engineer (irrigation) of Krishna Central Division for erection of the hoarding, as the place belongs to the Irrigation Department. But the order clearly mentioned that permission should be obtained from the municipal authorities for erecting it.

Permission likely

When contacted, VMC Commissioner Natarajan Gulzar said prior permission was necessary for display of any kind of publicity material such as hoardings, billboards, cutouts and so on. "The producer's representatives have not applied for permission. We have filed a complaint with the police under the Defacement of Public Places Act," he said.

The producer's representatives later met the Commissioner under the leadership of TDP floor leader Y. Ramana Rao and admitted their "mistake." They also applied for permission, which was expected to be given on Tuesday.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Sight the real one
Row over removal of hoarding
New health insurance scheme for poor on the cards
Officials told to speed up works
Murder: cases against nine
Lorry owners call for one-day token strike
Around the City

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu