RAWALPINDI, July 27: Billboards are back in almost the entire cantonment area in defiance of the authorities’ decision that these will remain off during the monsoon season.

Though the Met office has forecast more heavy rainfall and thunderstorm in coming days, almost all the huge hoardings that were removed early this month are now back on display.

This act is continuously being overlooked by authorities and the public feels that the campaign was just an “eyewash”.

The massive drive launched to remove billboards proved to be a futile exercise when oversized hoardings once again resurfaced on the Mall Road, Kutchery Chowk, Chaklala, Murree Road and several other important intersections in the city and cantonment areas.

Ironically, the huge billboards erected by government organisations were exempted from removal during the campaign period.

Authorities in the cantonment area and the district government had decided to remove all billboards towered at important intersections of city’s major roads as a precautionary measure during the monsoon season.

The authorities had also put a complete ban on installation of new billboards.

The loss of life and property caused by falling billboards in Karachi as a result of a cyclone in June, prompted the authorities in Rawalpindi to bring down the advertising media.

With the start of monsoon early in the month of June, incidents of falling billboards increased sharply following storms and heavy rainfall.

The Islamabad Electricity Supply Company (Iesco) is among the major sufferers. Hoardings crashing down on electric pylon and transmission lines cause damage to public and private properties and financial losses to national exchequer, besides disruptions to power supply.