HASSAN: The district administration has stopped the work on widening the road connecting Narasimharaja Circle and the bus stand temporarily on Saturday in view of the public outcry against the demolition of unauthorised structures. It was decided to form a committee of senior citizens to elicit public opinion on the "integrated" development of Hassan city.

The decision follows demonstration by traders on Friday protesting against the demolition of illegal structures on the bus stand road. The Hassan City Municipal Council (CMC) officials started demolishing unauthorised construction on bus stand road on Friday evening. Shocked traders prevented the authorities from pulling down the structures and accused them of targeting old buildings without issuing notices to the persons concerned. But the officials said they had received "strict instructions" in this regard from their higher ups.

When Vijayalakshmi, owner of a cinema, squatted on the road in protest against the demolition, the police allegedly shifted her. Angered by this, leaders of various political parties, social activists and traders joined the agitation and blocked the road and staged dharna for more than two hours.

Deputy Commissioner K.H. Ashwathanarayana Gowda rushed to the spot and apologised for the action of the authorities.

Protesters lifted the roadblock when Mr. Gowda assured them that they would be consulted before taking decision of the kind in future.

At a meeting attended by people's representatives, including Hassan MLA H.S. Prakash and Superintendent of Police Panduranga H. Rane, it had been decided to defer the work till the festival were over.

The Deputy Commissioner said he would consult senior citizens on whether the widening of road was necessary and notices would be served on the owners giving them sufficient time.

The head of Hassan unit of Church of South India Vasantha Kumar said the institution had obtained clearance from the CMC before constructing a building in 1962 and claimed that all the construction by the institution was legal.

The Deputy Commissioner clarified that the authorities concerned had identified encroachment based on survey conducted in 1881.

Efforts were on to improve the road and traders were objecting to that.

It was agreed form a committee of senior citizens to elicit opinion on the improvement of city and MLA Prakash was given the responsibility of forming the committee by next week.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail