This year's Ganesh Chaturthi and Id-ul-Fitr will hold painful memories for the 48 shopkeepers whose business establishments on Bazaar Street in Ulsoor in the city were demolished on Wednesday jointly by Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Muzrai and Endowments Department with heavy police security.
Balakrishnan, who used to sell readymade clothes in a six by six shop, told The Hindu that all the shopowners used to pay a rent of Rs. 900 a month to the Endowments Department that manages the Someshwara Temple. He said the demolition began at around 7 a.m., when none of the owners were around. “We were given no time to even clear the shops, though we requested them to give us two hours. When the earthmover was demolishing the structures, our goods were stolen,” he said.
Shahul Hamid, president of the Someshwara Temple Businessmen's Welfare Association, said the shop owners suffered losses amounting to at least Rs. 50,000 each.
“For the past three decades, the shops existed outside the Someshwara Temple here. When the department asked us to vacate a few months ago, we informed them that we were ready to pay more rent. The monthly rent was then increased from Rs. 300 to Rs. 900,” he said.
The BBMP on August 31 issued a notice to the shop owners and asked them to remove their shops within three days, as they were encroaching on the pavement.
However, K.A. Ravi, treasurer of the association, claimed that they had not been issued any notice. “They have gone ahead and demolished the shops early on Wednesday to prevent us from going to court for a stay. Given the long weekend ahead, the authorities did not want to take a chance,” he alleged.
Sources said the demolition was taken up following Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa's recent visit to the renowned temple. He had reportedly assured the residents of clearing the encroachments and the temple trust of developing it (temple).
Later in the day, a few shop owners staged a dharna in the BBMP head office. Sardar Ahmed Qureshi, president of Tipu United Front, said had the demolition been postponed, the traders would have seen some profit through sales during the festival season. “It seems that the Government is thinking of ways to make life miserable for the poor. The department should have called a meeting and discussed with them the shopkeepers the issues, instead of demolishing the shops suddenly,” he said. He said his organisation and a few shop owners would stage a protest on Thursday in front of the Chief Minister's office.
Court notice
A shopkeeper on Wednesday petitioned the Karnataka High Court against the action of the State Government and the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).
The petitioner, Chainraj, said he had a gold shop adjacent to the temple. He said he and scores of others had been carrying on their business for several decades. He said a civil court had ruled in their favour sometime ago when there was a dispute over ownership of the land and building.
He said the BBMP authorities had descended on the area and begun demolishing the shops. He said notice was not served on them. He urged the court to stay the demolition.
Justice Ashok B. Hinchigeri ordered issue of notices to the Muzrai Department and the BBMP and adjourned further hearing of the case.
