Karnataka - Bangalore   

Many people left in the lurch after sealing drive

Staff Reporter

BMP shuts down 13 establishments in Sadashivanagar

CORRECTIVE MEASURES: The Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) officials sealing an illegal commercial establishment at Sadashivanagar in Bangalore on Wednesday. — Photo: K. Murali Kumar

Bangalore: Sadashivanagar was deceptively calm on Wednesday. But if you wandered along the quiet streets, you would come across sudden groups of people standing outside an innocuous building.

Onlookers and those affected by the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike's (BMP) sealing drive stood by and watched as the civic body shut down 13 commercial establishments running in residences.

The BMP had sealed 11 establishments on Friday last. Officials chose to keep mum on whether the drive would be continued on Thursday.

Offices received unwelcome visitors in the form of BMP officials, who on the basis of the final notice served on them, asked them to vacate the premises immediately. Caught unawares, members of one such office took the necessary items and stood helpless outside their office.

Most people affected by the drive seemed not to have realised that running commercial establishments in a residential property was against the law.

Ananth, an affected resident, said: "We pay taxes, electricity and water rates that are demanded of commercial establishments. So we never thought it was illegal. We were shocked to receive the notices. There is one store, we all call it `Shetty angadi', that has been running for 25 years. Even that will be shut," he said.

Some alert shop owners approached the court and obtained a stay against sealing of their establishments.

Suresh Babu, a medical shop owner, said that he had just received the stay order from the court last evening. "Thankfully, the BMP officials did not come to this side of the area on Friday. If they had, then it would have been closed."

But a few others were not so lucky. Nagesh, another affected person, said the BMP officials just barged into his office and asked him to leave. He did not have enough time to collect his phone charger, he said. BMP Executive Engineer Nanjundappa said that people had been given enough time to take all that they wanted and only then were the offices sealed.

The BMP had been conducting sealing operations as the civic body had received a notice from the Karnataka High Court to shut down commercial establishments being run in basements, garages of houses or in buildings earmarked for residential purposes. After conducting a survey, the BMP found that 90 such illegal establishments were functioning. The High Court notice was a result of a public interest litigation filed by Sadashivanagar Residents' Welfare Association. Association president B.S. Mudappa said the members had gone to court as they were against these illegal enterprises.

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

Stories in this Section

Government revises estimate for urban renewal mission
Many people left in the lurch after sealing drive
Stage set for Young World fest finals
KPA demands increase in subsidy for replanting tea
Governor's assent for office of profit Bill
No helmet for pillion passengers
Another crisis likely to hit film industry
BMP defends its action
Spotlight to be on free software
Looking out for the best singing talent
Children have a brush with nature
Bury differences, film fraternity told
Flyover loop thrown open for traffic
Plan for protection of Hampi monuments
Man arrested on murder charge
Seven arrested, dacoity bid foiled
Protest continues
Bomb hoax
Around the City
In Bangalore Today
Temporary relief for college teachers

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu