Legal action awaits poster 'culprits'

Shirley WIJESINGHE

Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Pradeep Kariyawasam said yesterday legal action will be taken against politicians and tutory owners who deface city walls with posters.

He said the poster menace has assumed serious proportions with the forthcoming WPC elections.

Most posters, banners and cutouts are made of polythene or thick un-biodegradable material. When it rains the material will wash away and block the drainage system.

These materials are also a breeding ground for mosquitoes leading to Dengue and Chikungunya, Dr. Kariyawasam said.

The posters have tarnished the beauty and cleanliness of the Colombo City and caused health hazards to city dwellers, he said. He added that there has been an increase in dengue in Mutwal and Mattakkuliya while it has also spread to the Colombo Central area.

With nominations around the corner, political party representatives have already launched their poster campaign in Colombo violating election regulations, he said.

He said a colossal amount of the council's revenue has to be spent annually to remove these posters.

The CMC has brought down a special vehicle to remove these posters.