Madras High Court on Thursday directed the Tamil Nadu government to amend the Chennai City Municipal Act, 1919, in order to increase penalty on unauthorised hoardings from the exsisting Rs 10,000.

The order was given by a bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M M Sundresh while hearing a PIL seeking removal of unauthorised digital banners and hoardings.

Giving a series of directions, the bench, which directed all matters related to hoardings to be placed before it, ordered the authorities to give adequate publicity to the existing legal position and the orders passed by the court on Thursday, enabling the public to know the consequences of breaking the law.

The affidavit filed by the Chennai District Collector stated that out of 365 unauthorised hoardings identified in Chennai and Kancheepuram districts, 313 were in Chennai and 52 in Kancheepuram.

The affidavit also said 160 unauthorised hoardings had been removed.

The bench directed the Kancheepuram Collector also to file an affidavit with regard to unauthorised hoardings.

Additional Advocate General P H Arvind Pandian told the court that the hoardings business was controlled by a handful of people, possibly ten in number.