The police on Sunday said that they will work out ways to keep vigil on paying guest accommodations in the city.
Raghuveer Suterpet, a resident of Suterpet, expressed concern over the absence of regulation on the functioning of paying guest accommodation. He was among the many who took part in the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes grievance redressal meeting at the office of Mangalore Police Commissioner.
Mr. Raghuveer Suterpet said that there was none to check the antecedents of those in such accommodations. “There is every chance of a person with criminal background staying in a paying guest accommodation. Except for a few, paying guest accommodation operators do not have record of those to whom they provide accommodation,” he said.
Mr. Raghuveer Suterpet said that his aunt had to face problems from inebriated members of paying guest accommodation staying next to her house. He said that there was a need for regulating paying guest accommodations whose numbers were increasing.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) K.V. Jagadish said that he would look into the issue.
Mr. Jagadish then told reporters that the police have nothing to do with the running of paying guest accommodations. They visit such accommodations only when there are complaints of illegal activities in such places. Mr. Jagadish said that paying guest accommodations come under the same definition as lodges and their working is regulated by the municipal and revenue authorities.
In light of reports of misuse of such paying guest accommodation, the police will consider ways in which the activities can be regulated. “A discussion will be held with the Police Commissioner to work out ways as per law to regulate the activities at the paying guest accommodations,” he said.
According to sources in the Mangalore City Corporation, the Mangalore zonal regulations allows, among others, running of hostels and paying guest accommodations in residential areas. Licence from the corporation was required for running such accommodations.
