VietNamNet Bridge – Ha Noi's Department of Information and Communications has asked telecommunication companies to stop offering services to more than 100 enterprises that posted advertisements illegally in public places.

 

Students remove illegal advertisements in Ha Noi's Thanh Xuan District. The city's authority urges residents to report illegally posted phone numbers to punish violators.
 

Nguyen Xuan Quang, deputy director of the department, said the list was based on reports from five districts (Quoc Oai, Gia Lam, Ba Vi, My Duc and Ha Dong).

Enterprises whose phone numbers will be banned have intentionally violated the law many times, he said. These enterprises mainly operate in recruitment, repairing household appliances, leasing homes and Internet businesses.

This effort was made in response to the recent surge in flyer-posting, which has stirred up public concern.

Duong Le Manh, a resident of Ha Dong District, said leaflets dangled from electricity lines and cables on the streets and colourful cards were pushed into houses via letter holes in the front door. These advertising efforts filled streets and residential areas with rubbish, he complained.

Nguyen Dang Quang, a resident in Tay Ho District, said that his walls were defaced by illegal flyers two days after being repainted. Others in his residential area suffered the same.

These residents wondered whether this punishment would be an effective means of stopping advertisers.

Quang said that he once tried calling one of these companies, and the phone number worked – indicating that the company was still operating.

Vu Hoai Phuong, head of Tay Ho District's Culture and Information Unit, said it was impossible for relevant agencies to locate all illegally posted flyers. Residents should actively report phone numbers and names of violators to the local authorities so that they could have their phone services stopped, he said.

However, many citizens remained indifferent to removing illegally posted advertisements and leaflets and considered this the responsibility of the authorities.

Quang, Manh and other residents admitted that they had no intention of reporting such incidents to people responsible because it would take time and not accomplish anything.

The city has conducted campaigns for four years to free the city's public places from illegal advertising by removing leaflets as well as calling for people to engage in cleanup efforts.

In addition, free advertising boards have been set up in residential wards.

Source: VNS