Tamil Nadu - Erode   

Shopowners prevent demolition of building

R. Sundaram

Municipality plans to construct a shopping complex at the place Following intervention by the municipal officials and the police shopkeepers vacated the premises

FOR DEVELOPMENT: Erode municipal authorities demolishing a building on Erode Town Elementary School compound on Thursday. - PHOTO: M. Govarthan

ERODE: Tension prevailed in Erode town on Wednesday afternoon when the municipal officials tried to demolish a building in the Municipal Town Elementary School compound. Following intervention by the municipal officials and the police, the shopkeepers vacated the premises.

Parking stand

Erode Municipality was maintaining a vehicle parking stand in the Municipal Town Elementary School compound.

It had also leased out 11 shops in the eastern side of the building.

The lease period completed on March 31, 2007 and the shopkeepers were asked to vacate the shops.

Court directive

Though shopkeepers approached the Madras High Court, the court directed them to vacate the premises. When the municipal officials went to the spot on Wednesday to demolish the buildings, the shopkeepers protested and prevented them.

Tension

Tension prevailed there for two hours.

Municipal Commissioner K.R. Selvaraj told them that already ample time was granted to them to vacate the premises. The shopkeepers requested the officials to provide time for them to remove all their stocks.

The municipal officials promised that they would render all possible help to clear the goods and finally on Wednesday midnight they were removed and the shops were vacated. On Thursday morning the municipal officials started demolishing the shops.

The officials said the Erode Municipality has decided to construct a shopping complex at a cost of Rs. 2 crore and the construction work would be started after removing the debris of the buildings.

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