The Urban Development department of the Delhi Government has drafted a policy to remove unauthorised advertisements, hoardings and initiated the enforcement of Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Property Act (DPDPA), 2007 with the approval of competent authority.
“The Policy has the objective of removal of defacement as per the provisions of DPDPA. Defacement is of four type’s posters, banners, writing on the walls and illegal hoardings”, read an official statement.
In compliance of the orders of the Delhi High Court, a committee of the officers was constituted to frame a policy with the object of ensuring cleanliness of public places and especially to maintain public property as the provisions of DPDPA, 2007, it said.
“The committee includes Principal Secretary (Urban Secretary) is the Chairman of the Committee with Commissioners of all the three municipal corporations, secretary of New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), Chief Executive Officer of Delhi Cantonment Board, Principal Chief Engineer (PWD) and Deputy Commissioner of Delhi Police. The Committee met twice in last month (March 2019) and had detailed discussion on the legal provisions and present executive action mechanism”, they added.
“The competent authority has also given compounding powers to the five urban local bodies (ULB’s). Existing defacement’s as per the act are to be removed by a special drive by all ULB’s within 24 hours. Public places will be identified by ULB’s for displaying messages of political and social nature. Three sites per ward may be identified by ULB’s. The ULB’s will finalise the details of authorised sites along with terms and conditions and make a policy for them within two months after completion of General Election, 2019”, an official said.
Any other site other than these would be unauthorised under DPDPA, 2007. Any defacement found other than on these authorised public places or unipoles, should be removed within 24 hours.
The ULB’s will identify and make public the name and contact details of officers responsible for the removal of the unauthorised advertisement/defacement in respective jurisdiction so that individual responsibility can be fixed, the official added.
DPDP Act will be uploaded on all Government websites so that all the government employees are aware of the Act, both as Government employee and as the residents of Delhi.
All Educational institutions have to upload the same on their websites, so that the Students are made aware of the act and they can include the same in their Eco clubs.
All Government buildings will be made poster free by the respective authorities owing the said building and responsibility of officer’s in-charge of buildings should be fixed in case any defacement is found. A copy of the DPDPA, 2007 will be uploaded on Delhi Police website and sent to all the police stations so that every member of Delhi Police is aware of the same, the official further added.