Udumula Sudhakar Reddy
Believe it or not! Throwing dirt or rubbish on city roads can be punished. Fastening any horse or other animal obstructing traffic, letting loose horse or ferocious dog without a muzzle shall be liable on conviction of fine not exceeding fifty rupees or imprisonment up to eight days. . Even flying balloons without permission is a crime. The police commissioners of Hyderabad and Cyberabad have got enormous powers under the acts even the ’utterances of cries or singing in public’ can be banned. However the law enforcing agencies seldom use these acts. Apart from Indian Penal Code sections these are the special and local laws.
Most Hyderabadis and residents of various towns across the State are ignorant about local laws like Hyderabad city police act and British era AP Town nuisance act and AP (Andhra area) district police act. Neither the police are bothered to implement some of them which are useful to improve situation on roads. Though some of the rules are outdated and irrelevant they are not repealed says legal experts. In some sections fines are paltry sum ranging from Rs1 to Rs 300.
As per one of the rules the person who obtain licences to play music in public place shall stop when a horse or pony or donkey or any other animal crossed the place and it appears be started or alarmed by this music and shall stop the playing of the music until such time animal passes to suitable distance.
Nizam’s era Hyderabad city police Act , Cyberabad (Metropolitan) Area act 2004 and AP Town nuisance act 1889 rules say that easing on the public road or letting a child under a person’s custody to ease, lying intoxicated on street and not able to take care of himself in such condition, a person exposing his body in the street can be punished for eight days imprisonment. The rules also say that a person shall walk close to the side of road where there is no footpath but most people violated this. AP Town nuisance Act says whoever throws dirt or rubbish on road can be punished. The police commissioners of Hyderabad Cyberabad have got enormous powers under the act even the ’utterances of cries or singing in public’ can be banned and an immigrant with epidemic disease can be asked to leave the place if there is likelihood of outbreak.
Assistant Solicitor General of India in AP High Court Mr P Vishnuvardhan Reddy says ,”even people are ignorant about local laws it is the duty of officer concerned to act stringently and implement these laws strictly to remove nuisance of the roads and also to eliminate petty criminal activities. But unfortunately the authorities are not showing any interest to implement these laws and because of the inaction on the part of authorities local laws are frequently violated creating problems to the city and also nuisance to the local people. Driving on foot path or pasting bill or notice or document or paper on a wall without permission of the owner is punishable up to Rs50,”
He added ,”Certain sections that become outdated and not suitable to present city. Government has to take decision to repeal or modify them. Certain sections like no person shall leave away an box or bundle or any goods on public road or footpath and cause obstruction shall be implemented strictly by enhancing the fines,”
The AP Animals and Birds sacrifices prohibition act 1950 punished sacrificing of animals and birds in public religious places which is punishable for imprisonment of three months or fine up to Rs 300 or with both. According to the AP Prevention of Anti Social and Hazardous activities act 1980 one of the definitions for goonda is ‘’one who has been found habitually passing indecent remarks or teasing women or girls”
The AP Town nuisance act prohibits driving to right side of the road without reasonable excuse is an offence. Fastening any horse or other animal obstructing traffic, letting loose horse or ferocious dog without a muzzle shall be liable on conviction of fine not exceeding fifty rupees or imprisonment up to eight days.
“In Hyderabad particularly in packed old colonies and slum areas it is a common sight to fasten the buffalos on the road,” said Mr G V Rao a civic activist. Depositing rubbish or stones on the road is also an offence.
The local laws also say that there shall be license for domestic functions such as marriage, pooja, indoor entertainment activity for using sound equipment and only box type speakers shall be used. “The Hyderabad City Loudspeakers regulation of Use and Licence act 1963 says the sound shall not be heard at distance more than ten yards from the building,” says Mr. Vishnuvardhan Reddy.
As per the traffic rules bullock carts or jatkhas or bicycles or tricycle s or chariots shall not be driven without lamp between half an hour before sunrise or half an hour after sunset and it is punishable up to eight days or Rs 50 fine. The cattle shall be taken out on roads from 9pm to 9am and 12noon to 4.00 pm under the supervision only. At the cattle pound the owner of the elephant has to pay Rs 15 and that of goat shall pay Rs 1 per each animal and for buffalo its Rs 2 and eight anas.
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