KARACHI, Sept 4: The taxes wing of the city government’s revenue department in its on-going campaign against dangerous and illegal hoardings has pulled down over 300 billboards in various parts of the city.

Almost the same number of illegal hoardings has voluntarily been removed by the owners and advertisers of such hoardings during the last one week.

The city government had launched a drive against such hoardings following the death of two persons when hoardings fell on them recently.

A CDGK survey showed that there are over 10,000 hoardings, including huge billboards in the city and most of them have either been installed dangerously or without obtaining an NOC from the concerned authorities.

Asked if all sorts of hoardings and sign-boards will be removed during the campaign, the revenue department’s (local taxes wing) district officer, Najamuddin Sikandar, told Dawn that in the first phase of the campaign which began on Aug 24, only such hoardings which have either been erected or affixed on roads and footpaths and are posing danger to lives and properties are being pulled down.

The other category of billboards being removed nowadays are those whose payment for the previous financial year had not been received till June 30, 2002, he said, adding that the campaign was also aimed at removing all those hoardings which have been erected on the turnings of busy traffic intersections.

However, the drive against illegal billboards is currently being carried out in former district East, he added.

He said that permission for hoardings was, at present, not being granted as the Out-door Advertisers Association is currently holding meetings with the city government officials and a final decision will be taken in a month or so in the light of the outcome of such meetings.

About the hoardings which are being removed and seized by the department, he said that owners/advertisers of such billboards can get them back within 30 days after paying the penalty imposed on them, provided they have not been damaged during their removal.

Terming the process of removing huge billboards “a risky and time-consuming exercise,” the official said “although heavy machinery, including cranes, loaders and dumpers, are being used, officials who are undertaking this gigantic task after midnight have to ensure that the huge and heavy billboards might not fall on pedestrians, passing vehicles or cause damage to the adjacent properties during the course of their removal.

Referring to new advertisement bye-laws approved recently by the City Council, he said under the bylaws, officials of the licensing authority on the orders of not less than a district officer, can remove any such hoarding, its structure or sign-boards which might fall or whose glittering light might cause accidents, without issuing any notice to their advertisers or owners.

Besides, all such hoardings, sign-boards or any other advertising material which has been erected, affixed or posted, without obtaining permission from the licensing authority will also be removed without serving any notice to their advertisers.