Taking cognizance of rampant defacement of public properties by spraycan bandits — whether vandals or urban polemicists, lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung on Monday issued instructions to Delhi Commissioner of Police BS Bassi, Delhi Chief Secretary DM Spolia and the three Municipal Commissioners of civic bodies to take stringent action against the vandals.
“Jung had also issued a public appeal to this effect on November 23 and 24 in which he had urged the citizens to actively participate in the Swachchh Bharat Mission launched by the Prime Minister and had particularly urged them to refrain from defacing public property and also prevent others from doing so,” said a lG House statement.
Defacement of Public Property is a criminal offence under the Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, 2007. The offence is punishable by law, with imprisonment up to 1 year, or fine of Rs 50,000,
or both.
“Defacement of property by a small section of population not only disfigures public property but also nullifies the Government’s efforts to give a clean look to the city,” Jung stressed. While issuing instructions to the Chief Secretary, Delhi Police Commissioner and Municipal Commissioners, Jung said, “There will be zero tolerance towards those trying to deface public property.”
It would be pertinent to mention here that with Delhi Assembly elections around the corner, such incidents will witness a rise. The order by the lieutenant Governor to punish those defacing public properties will help law enforcing agencies, said a police official.