KMC mulls to offer reduced rates for eco-friendly advertisements

KOLKATA: Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is planning to offer a reduction in advertisement fees for eco-friendly hoardings and billboards in the city. The civic body has already formulated a draft advertisement policy with an aim to restrict the number of private billboard structures to curb visual pollution.

"We are encouraging eco-friendly hoardings or billboards for advertisements. The use of solar lights for display is also being welcomed. Hence, we have proposed to offer a reduction in fees for putting up such advertisements. This will bring down the number of plastic or flex hoardings," Debasish Kumar, Member Board of Administrators, KMC in-charge of the Advertisement department said.

A discussion on the draft policy was held on Monday at the KMC under the leadership of Kumar. "There are some legal aspects which need to be changed or incorporated as cited by our Law wing. The needful will be done and we will sit for another meeting soon,"Kumar said.

Under the new policy, the civic body has proposed to restrict the size of the advertisements and has a clear guideline on the distance between two advertisement hoardings.

"We will not allow advertisements on old buildings or heritage structures, adjacent to hospitals, rail stations etc and most importantly on the demarcated green zone in the city. There will be a clear cut guideline about the roads and places in the city where we will allow advertisements. Any advertisements that will be put up flouting guidelines will attract legal action. The legal provisions will be made more stringent," a senior official of the Advertisement department said.