Karnataka - Bangalore   

HOPCOMS in a quandary

BANGALORE: The expansion of Horticultural Producers’ Cooperative Marketing and Processing Society (HOPCOMS) in the city that has been affected by the provisions of Karnataka Parks Act now depends on government support to secure land at a concession.

While HOPCOMS initially built its outlets in a small portion of parks or playgrounds, the Karnataka Parks, Playfields and Open Spaces (Preservation and Regulation) Act prohibited construction of building or even sale, lease, gift, exchange or mortgage of the space earmarked for parks or playfields.

“Parks cannot be used for any development purpose, and the same rule holds good for us also. We are looking at a portion of other civic amenities sites such as hospitals and schools,” an official at HOPCOMS told The Hindu.

HOPCOMS has 278 outlets in Bangalore with a membership base of around 15,000 and sells around 90 tonnes of vegetables and fruits daily on an average.

It has proposed to set up 100 outlets in the city, especially in the erstwhile CMC areas in 2008-09. For the purpose, it is seeking land from Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) and Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

The official said: “At present, HOPCOMS is reaching out to people in erstwhile CMC areas through mobile units. However, these mobile units have limited reach and are not convenient to customers.”

HOPCOMS, it is learnt, is looking between 350 sq ft and 400 sq ft area in the CA sites where a kiosk to vend vegetables could be built. “Each kiosk is estimated to cost between Rs. 3 lakh and Rs. 5 lakh,” sources said.

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