Explainer: Panipat shopkeepers, bizmen decry notices, hefty ad penalties by MC

Serving notices to shopkeepers and showroom owners for advertisement boards and flexes installed on their business establishments has become a big issue in the city. The Panipat Municipal Corporation has levied hefty penalties on these business establishment owners. The associations under the banner of Samyukt Vyapar Mandal met MC Commissioner Dr Pankaj Yadav and Panipat City MLA Pramod Vij and raised their concerns over the issue. The shopkeepers have removed their advertising hoardings, flexes and boards from their shops in the city after receiving notices with heavy penalty from the MC. What is Panipat known for? Panipat is located on both sides of National Highway-44 (NH-44) (earlier NH-1) and has a specific identity for manufacturing handloom and textile products. Panipat has around 20,000 crore export turnover per annum while it has around 40,000 domestic business turnouts per annum. Not only the overseas buyers, but the domestic buyers, also come here to purchase goods. There are more than 48 markets in the city. To attract the buyers or local consumers, the owners of business establishments have mounted heavy banners, hoarding and flexes to showcase their products. Various big brand companies have also installed their boards and decorative flexes on their franchise or retail outlets in the city. Why and how many shopkeepers have been served notices? To increase the revenue of the Panipat Municipal Corporation, the MC officials adopted the model of the Gurugram Municipal Corporation and began serving notices to the business establishment owners for advertisement boards and hoardings in the city in the beginning of financial year 2025-26. The Panipat MC has so far served notices on over 200 shopkeepers and businessmen with a hefty penalty amounting between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 20 lakh in the city so far. Under which sections has the Panipat MC served notices? The Panipat MC has served the notices under Section 122 of the Haryana Municipal Corporation (HMC) Act, 1994 for installing and displaying unauthorised advertisement/advertisement structure. Section 122 of the HMC Act clearly says that no advertisement will be installed, exhibited, fixed or retained or on or over any land, building, wall hoarding, frame, post or structure or on on any vehicle or will be displayed in any manner whatsoever at any place within the Municipal area without the written permission of the Commissioner in accordance with bylaws made under the Act. As per the Act, self-advertisement within permissible limits requires no permission. What concerns have been raised by the Samyukt Vyapar Mandal? As per the notices served, the MC has clearly directed the shopkeepers to remove their advertisement boards/flexes within seven days and also deposit the penalty imposed on the business establishments. After which the delegation of around 48 market associations met the MC Commissioner and after that they met Panipat City MLA Pramod Vij on Thursday. The traders demanded waving off these hefty bills and revoke these notices. The traders’ associations said such notices were being issued only in Panipat. What is the next course of action? Pramod Vij held a meeting with Dr Pankaj Yadav over the issue. Vij said Panipat was a city of industrialists, traders and labourers. The MC has given such notices for the first time and the traders have no knowledge about such laws. He assured the traders on Monday that he would meet Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Tuesday and request the Chief Minister to permit the traders and shopkeepers to install their own boards, including the shop’s name and the products which they were selling in their shops. Vij also assured the shopkeepers that no shop would be sealed or shut down due to these notices. Vij further said the companies that installed their boards on shops for their products’ branding, would have to pay the tax as per the HMC Act.

Haryana Tribune