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Four demolition drives put off, MC flouts HC orders

Friday, 05 April 2013 07:55 administrator
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The Indian Express                          05.04.2013

Four demolition drives put off, MC flouts HC orders

Despite the Punjab and Haryana High Court orders to carry out demolition drives in the city, the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation has postponed various drives planned due to one or another reason.

While, officially, the MC claims there are technical reasons for the postponement, sources say 'political pressure and influence' of building owners is proving to be a roadblock.

The MC, however, says the ''cancelled demolition drives will happen for sure after verifying the documents and following the whole process".

The postponed drives include one planned for Gur Mandi where 30 shops were to be demolished but the MC team came back empty-handed on March 13 after the temple committee and shopkeepers started protesting against it.

In the second incident, on March 21, in Talaab Bazaar area of the city, the issue again took religious overtones as the shops which were to be demolished were located near a temple. After 400 shopkeepers got together to oppose the drive, the MC team came back without touching a building.

The Haibowal Kalan demolition drive which was planned on April 2 met the same fate but with a different excuse.

Police officials showed inability to provide a security cover to MC officials, citing a test of head constables on the same date.

In its very recent action, the MC has again postponed the demolition drive at Salem Tabri which was planned for April 5.

The MC says they are scrutinising documents of buildings whose owners are claiming that they were built before 1995.

As per the HC orders, the buildings violating building bylaws and constructed after 1995 are to be demolished.

A source from the MC building branch said, "In Gur Mandi, the shops are owned by people having strong political background, and every time MC team reaches the spot, they are called back. In other areas like Talaab Bazaar too, political interference always makes the demolition unsuccessful."

However, the MC can land in serious trouble as the master plan for demolition drive was prepared on the guidelines of the Punjab and Haryana High Court itself.

MC commissioner R K Verma was not available for comment.

 

BMC not to target lingerie shops with mannequins inside

Tuesday, 02 April 2013 11:04 administrator
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The Times of India                    02.04.2013

BMC not to target lingerie shops with mannequins inside

MUMBAI: The civic body's drive against shop owners who put up mannequins outside their stores to display lingerie will not target establishments placing dummies inside shops. The BMC rules do not dictate what should be displayed inside shops.

According to the rules, anything that is put up on footpaths outside the shops is not allowed. In the past too, the BMC has taken action against shop owners who displayed mannequins outside their stores.

Mayor Sunil Prabhu recently asked the BMC to reinforce action against errant shop owners after corporator Ritu Tawde from Ghatkopar complained of stores putting up mannequins dressed in "seductive" clothes on footpaths. She said that such skimpily-clad mannequins are perceived as sex toys and as part of the women's safety initiative, the BMC should take action against shop owners who have such displays outside their establishments.

Tawde said display of such mannequins attracts attention from men and can lead to crimes against women. Concurring, with the corporator

Prabhu has asked the BMC to take cognizance of the issue. He said such display should be stopped considering the increase in crimes against women. "Shops can show products to customers inside the stores, but there is no need for a display on the roads," he said.

A civic official said that in any case, mannequins on the footpaths are illegal. "The BMC has no power over what shopkeepers should display inside stores. We take action only against those shops that have mannequins on footpaths outside their stores," said a official from the shops and establishments department.

Shop owners who use mannequins to display lingerie can rest easy. The BMC's drive against such display stops outside a shop's door as rules do not allow the civic body to dictate what should be displayed inside a shop.

According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) anything outside a shop on the footpath is not allowed. The BMC has in the past also taken action against shops that have put mannequins outside the shops.

The action will be reinforced after the Mayor directed the BMC to take action against mannequins wearing lingerie after a woman corporator Ritu Tawde from Ghatkopar complained about shops that have mannequins outside on the footpaths in seductive clothes. She said that such skimpily clad mannequins are perceived as sex toys. So, as part of the women's safety initiative, the BMC should take action against shop owners who keep mannequins in provocative clothes outside their establishments.

Tawde said that such display attracts attention from men and can lead to crimes against women. Civic official say that in any case keeping mannequins on the footpaths is illegal, they can keep those mannequins inside.

"The BMC has no power to tell the shopkeepers what they should and shouldn't display inside their shops. We do take action on shops that keep mannequins outside on the footpath,"said a civic official from the shops and establishments department.

The mayor concurred with the corporator and asked the administration to take cognisance of the issue. Prabhu said such display should be stopped considering the increasing incidents of crime against women. "The shops can show the products to customers when they visit the stores. But there is no need to put them on the road."

Last Updated on Tuesday, 02 April 2013 11:07
 

Encroachments choking arterial roads of steel city

Monday, 01 April 2013 10:14 administrator
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The New Indian Express                    01.04.2013

Encroachments choking arterial roads of steel city

Encroachments, evictions and subsequent demands of rehabilitation seem to have become the order of the day in the congested Rourkela city.

Given the undue political interference involved in the issue, even Sundargarh administration prefers to shy away from any harsh measures. As a result, there is not enough space left to take up new road works or even finish the old ones.

Sources said for major road expansions and a bridge construction work, hundreds of roadside vendors were evicted. Local leaders of ruling BJD and Congress lost no time to hit the streets for the ‘cause of these vendors’. They sought their immediate rehabilitation.

Rourkela Municipality constructed vending zones at Koelnagar, Uditnagar and Chhend Colony, while the Rourkela Development Authority (RDA) constructed one at Basanti Colony. Slowly but steadily, encroachments are again cropping up. Civil Township is a pointer to this. A road expansion project was delayed for eight months by 25 encroachers with support of two powerful BJD leaders. Under pressure from the ruling party, the Municipality settled them in an adjacent patch of land meant for green belt in the master plan of the road expansion project.

Admitting the situation, Municipality Vice-Chairman R N Mishra attributed it to weakness of the Municipality and political pressure during eviction drives. He said around 30 ‘land guards’ are not well-equipped to protect government land from encroachment.

Rourkela unit BJD president AC Mohanty said neglect by the administration allows illegal occupations to grow into bigger problems as competitive politics compel parties to support them.

Last year, more than 400 encroachers along the approach road to NIT-R on Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) land with political support ultimately forced the premier institute to abandon the road and go for an alternative.

Rourkela ADM and RDA Secretary RN Mishra said as per the action plan, eviction drive would be launched from April 15 and sought cooperation from police and political parties.

 
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