Residents of Laxmindra Nagara are opposing a bar coming up in their area. Under the banner of Laxmindra Nagara Nagarika Samiti, they have opposed the move of the Udupi City Municipal Council (CMC) to give a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) to a restaurant to start a bar in the area.
Addressing presspersons here on Friday, Rajagopal Shenoy, Professor of Surgery at Kasturba Medical College (KMC) and vice president of the Samiti, said that the residents had been living in Laxmindra Nagar for nearly three decades. A restaurant was opened in that area despite opposition from the people a couple of years ago. When an attempt was made to open a bar in that same restaurant, people had protested against it. The NOC given for starting the bar two years ago was unconditionally cancelled by Udupi City Municipal Council (CMC).
But now in spite of the opposition of the local people, CMC Commissioner Gokuldas Nayak had unilaterally given an NOC to start a bar at the very same restaurant. The Samiti had approached Mr. Nayak, Deputy Commissioner M.T. Reju, MLA Pramod Madhwaraj, District In-charge Minister Vinay Kumar Sorake, and local municipal councillor Lata Sherigar on the issue. Both Mr. Madhwaraj and Ms. Sherigar had written to Mr. Nayak to cancel the NOC.
He said that restaurant owner had flouted rules regarding setback, parking space, and drainage system. Yet it was surprising that the CMC Commissioner had issued an NOC. Only a probe would reveal the truth behind the matter.
Since the place was residential, many students, youths and senior citizens roamed about freely. Giving permission to start a bar in this place would destroy the peace of the area.
The CMC should cancel the NOC in the interest of peace and security of the people in the area. If the CMC gave permission to start the bar, the people of the area would launch an agitation.
They would also approach the State Human Rights Commission, State Women’s Rights Commission, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Excise Minister Satish Jarkiholi on this issue. Many other voluntary organizations, too, had backed the Samiti on this issue, Dr. Shenoy said.
‘Withdraw NOC’
Mr. Madhwaraj said that he had already written to the CMC not to issue the NOC for the restaurant to start a bar. “If the CMC has issued a NOC, it should withdraw it as the people of the area are opposed to a bar coming up there,” he said.
