GVMC cracks the whip on shops

The action was taken following surprise visit by the Municipal Commissioner

Municipal officials on Tuesday sealed more than 100 shops and other establishments at Satya Surya Complex at Dwarakanagar for running them in unhygienic and unsanitary conditions. The action followed Commissioner B. Ramanjaneyulu's visit to the complex on Monday after several complaints.

The cellar was turned into a virtual dumping yard with foul smell emanating, it was observed during the surprise visit.

The Commissioner ordered that the complex be sealed as it was endangering public health.

On Tuesday, Additional Commissioner S. Krishna Murthy, municipal, revenue, town planning and medical and health officials sealed the shops and establishments.

Mistake admitted

The owners of the sealed shops admitted their mistake and told him that they would take care of sanitation in future. Running of shops in such conditions was causing hardship to the people and making them to work in such conditions was inhuman. Photos and video clippings of the awful condition were shown. Repeated warnings from successive commissioners during the past three years fell on deaf ears.

While the sanitary workers were clearing the garbage dumped, it was thrown again.

The Commissioner suggested that all the shop owners must form an association and take up maintenance and cleanliness of the complex. Otherwise, service tax in proportion to the property tax paid would be levied.

The shop owners submitted an undertaking to bear the expenditure to clear the garbage along with fine resolving the issue.

The shops were allowed to open later.