Outdoor ad space booked, Oppn, Congress rebels cry foul

Rajmeet Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 6

With the Assembly elections slated next year, prime outdoor media sites in the state have become a bone of contention not only for the Opposition parties, including the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), but also rivals within the Congress.

In the past few months, a number of prime outdoor media sites had been hired by the state’s Public Relations Department to highlight the achievements of the Capt Amarinder Singh government.

Not only have the Local Government-approved sites been booked for highlighting the achievements of the Congress government, some unapproved media sites outside the civic body limits too have been sporting government advertisements.

Returning favour

For four and a half years, outdoor ad mafia enjoyed govt patronage. Now it is time for them to pay back to the govt. —Harpal Singh Cheema, Lop

On the other hand, advertisements put up on unapproved sites by supporters of Opposition parties and some Congress leaders from the rival camp are regularly being removed by the enforcement staff in respective civic bodies.

Soon after Navjot Singh Sidhu became the PCC president, hoardings in his support had come up across the state. At many places, hoardings put up at unapproved sites were removed, said officials in the Local Government Department.

Officials clarified in the wake of the 400th Prakash Purb of Guru Teg Bahadur and to list achievements of the state government, respective district public relations offices had tied up with offices of the civic bodies for hiring at least 20 outdoor media sites.

“Initially the permission was sought till July, but it has now been extended till October,” said sources in the department. Most of the sites are in shape of ‘unipoles’ along highways and at key locations.

Taking a swipe at the government, AAP senior leader Leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema, said: “For four and a half years, the outdoor media advertising mafia enjoyed the patronage of the state government. Now it is time for them to pay back to the government.”

Left high & dry

Ads put up at unapproved sites by supporters of Opposition parties and rebel Congress leaders are being removed by enforcement staff, leaving them high and dry.