The kitchen of Krithunga Restaurant in the ground floor of MIG apartment in the Kukatpally Housing Board Colony was shut down at the behest of Minister K.T. Rama Rao. It had been running there for the past six years.
The ordeal of the family of 85-year-old Nimmagadda Sesha Navaratnam, who stay on the first floor, finally ended on Saturday, with GHMC officials swooping down on the kitchen and having it sealed for not having trade licence or NOC from the Fire department. While the family is also complaining about the apathy of the circle-level GHMC officials, no action has so far been taken against them for allegedly ignoring the complaint.
“We had been asking the restaurant management to shift the kitchen for the past six years. The small restaurant was expanded over a period of time and it became unbearable eventually. My wife went into depression, as we were unable to get a good night’s sleep owing to the loud noise from downstairs,” the woman’s son N. Gopichand said.
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They had approached the circle-level officials six months ago, pleading to issue orders to close down the kitchen. Their pleas, however, did not yield results.
“The officials colluded with the restaurant management and gave them enough time to approach the court,” Mr. Gopichand alleged. Appeals to the GHMC Commissioner, District Collector and legislator too remained futile. Meanwhile, the restaurant management approached the Court against any action by GHMC.
“The legislator Madhavaram Krishna Rao even inspected our premises, and asked to shut down the restaurant. But later on, the MLA’s assistants kept telling us to reach a compromise,” Mr. Gopichand said.
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After deciding to approach Lokayukta over this, the mother-son duo attended Mr. Rama Rao’s ‘Mana Nagaram’ event on Friday as a last attempt. Taking pity at the frail and decrepit woman that had walked up to him, The Minister heard her out and issued orders for immediate respite. Things started moving at express pace and within 24 hours, the kitchen was shut down.
“We filed a special leave petition in the court, and obtained permission to close down the kitchen on the basis of a contaminated food sample and lack of NOC. They can use the premises, but cannot cook there. But ultimately, if the court rules in the restaurant’s favour, we all will have to bow anyway,” an official said under the condition of anonymity.
Justifying the six-month delay on the part of officials, the officer said the restaurant was given time to obtain trade licence, during which the management obtained a stay from the court.Mr.Krishna Rao was unavailable, but his personal aide refuted the allegations that any advice was given for compromise.