The Kerala High Court on Wednesday directed the state police chief to issue a directive to station house officers (SHOs) to book those violating the illegal flex ban.
Despite there being a ban on placing illegal flex boards, hoardings, banners and flags in public places, the court said that it is difficult to curb political parties and religious organisations from doing so, reports Media One.
“The Director General of Police should issue a circular to chiefs of all police stations to register cases against those who violate the ban,” stated the order of Justice Devan Ramachandran, according to reports.
As per reports, the directive of the police chief should be issued within four days.
Time and again, the Kerala High Court has issued orders to the local self government bodies in the state to curb the illegal display of flex boards. The recent directive to the state police chief comes as the earlier orders were not effectively implemented.
According to the earlier court orders, flex boards, banners or hoarding can only be displayed with the prior permission of local bodies in the specific places allocated for it.
The court has also stated that single use plastic products which are banned in the state should be confiscated and destroyed. Court also ordered to set a time limit to confiscate and destroy the illegal plastic items. The inspections to confiscate the illegal plastic items should be done incorporating members of the Department of Environment.
The Kerala government had put a blanket ban on usage of all single use plastic products in the state from January 1. Though the order was put in place from January 1, the government was not imposing any fine for it till Wednesday as per a High Court order. But the time period for not levying the fine ended on Wednesday.
As per reports, the state government has also made it clear that fine will not be imposed from customers as the ban is on manufacturing, storage and distribution of single use plastic.
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