Corpn cancels agreement with ad agency, to remove display boards

  • | Saturday | 9th February, 2019

Coimbatore: The city corporation has cancelled its agreement with a private advertisement agency selected to install electronic display boards at 30 locations.The civic body has also issued notices to remove the display boards within 15 days.The agreement with the firmsigned on February 15 last year for erection of electronic display boardshas been cancelled for having violated the agreement conditions, said a notice issued to the contractor dated January 30. “The corporation should have floated the tender and signed the contract with the successful bidder only after getting permission from the collector. So, we have decided to file a complaint against the civic body and highways department with the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC).” “Corporation officials failed to obey the orders of so many apex bodies that it paved way for suspicion. “The bidder was permitted to erect the boards as per the guidelines of the Tamil Nadu urban local bodies licensing of hoarding and levy and collection of advertisement tax rules.

Coimbatore: The city corporation has cancelled its agreement with a private advertisement agency selected to install electronic display boards at 30 locations.The civic body has also issued notices to remove the display boards within 15 days.The agreement with the firmsigned on February 15 last year for erection of electronic display boardshas been cancelled for having violated the agreement conditions, said a notice issued to the contractor dated January 30. “The bidder was permitted to erect the boards as per the guidelines of the Tamil Nadu urban local bodies licensing of hoarding and levy and collection of advertisement tax rules. Since the contractor has violated the norms, the agreement has been cancelled,” a senior corporation official said.The official said that the contractor had installed advertisement boards without even obtaining permission from the district collector, a clear violation of rules and regulations. “We are yet to decide the next course of action pertaining to the project.”The action was taken after K Kathirmathiyon of Coimbatore Consumer Cause took up the irregularities to the notice of the secretary of municipal administration. “As per the Indian Road Congress (IRC) norms, no advertisementespecially digital advertisementthat distracts the attention of commuters should be placed along the roads. Such advertisements are one of the major causes of road accidents. In this case, the norms were clearly violated,” the activist told TOI. “The corporation should have floated the tender and signed the contract with the successful bidder only after getting permission from the collector. But in this case, a reverse procedure was followed. After signing the agreement with the contractor, permission was sought from the collector.”Kathirmathiyon said that Supreme Court orders, directions from department secretaries and collectors clearly directed that such advertisement boards should not be erected in such a way that they distract commuters. “Corporation officials failed to obey the orders of so many apex bodies that it paved way for suspicion. We suspect that the officials turned a blind eye to the violations for personal gain. So, we have decided to file a complaint against the civic body and highways department with the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC).”

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