Punit Balan demands revoking notice issued by skysign department of PMC 

PUNE : The Pune Municipal Corporation’s sky sign department has recently issued a notice to entrepreneur Puneet Balan, requesting a payment of Rs 3 crore as a fine for the advertisement boards displayed by the mandals during the Dahi Handi festival on behalf of Puneet Balan Group and Oxyrich Company.

Additionally, the department has cautioned that failure to pay the fine will result in the recovery of the amount from income tax. 

In response to the notice sent by the administration on October 3, Punit Balan has provided a comprehensive reply to the sky sign department, expressing a demand.

In a letter dated January 4, 2023, Balan addressed the government regarding the absence of licence fees for the authorised festival pavilions and stages to be installed on roads and footpaths in the city during the ganeshotsav period. 

This matter was discussed during a meeting chaired by the chief minister on September 14, 2023. It was further highlighted that the license fee for the reception and running pavilion, which had been approved by the police department in 2019, was abolished by the general body meeting of the corporation on September 9, 2019, and has not been enforced since then.

During the 2019 Ganeshotsav period, a meeting was held in August 2022 among Ganesh mandals, police officers, and municipal officials. In this meeting, it was decided to extend the free permission given to Muharram, Dahi Handi, and Ganeshotsav mandals, both online and offline, for the next five years, specifically from 2022 to 2027. Our companies primarily serve as advertisers, and advertising boards have been installed by these companies. Therefore, if the civic administration intended to issue a notice, it should have been directed towards the boards rather than the advertisers. However, instead of following this protocol, the administration intentionally and personally sent the notice in my name with the intention of defaming me. Furthermore, the administration deliberately shared the notice with the media, making it public.

The administration should revoke the notice issued to me and notify the media regarding its cancellation, considering the aforementioned circumstances. It is unlawful for the administration to impose fines and defacement charges on us, especially when the government has already declared a festival without any restrictions. Punit Balan, in his communication with the administration, has emphasised that it is imperative for them to acknowledge that the inclusion of such collection from income tax is also against the law.

Madhupriya Dhanwate