DMC starts drive to remove illegal posters; Dehradun

DEHRADUN : The Dehradun Municipal Corporation (DMC) began a drive on Wednesday to remove illegal banners and posters that had cropped up in the city as heavy-duty campaigning kicked off for civic body elections last month. On the first day of the drive, illegal posters were removed from Mohkampur, GMS Road and Bindal Colony. Details of posters, hoardings removed would be sent to the election commission to be added to the expenditure of candidates.
According to officials, the corporation had earlier removed more than 2,500 banners, posters and other election materials across several locations in the city in October 15.
Municipal officials said that most of the materials were put up without permission on government as well as private land.
“Candidates had put up these banners, posters, flex boards and flags on government land as well as on private properties so we are removing them. The drive will continue until the end of civic polls,” said municipal commissioner Vijay Kumar Jogdande.
Jogdande added that the corporation would send details of the removed material to the election commission. “We are preparing lists of candidates who put up these posters. These will be sent to the election commission.”
Notably, all 11 mayoral candidates have been issued notices thrice for not revealing correct expenditure figures.
Residents, meanwhile, welcomed the drive saying that the election campaigning had led to posters defacing city walls. “Candidates have been flouting election commission norms, putting up posters and defacing the city,” said Rajeev Yadav, a resident of GMS Road.