Revenue Department Cracks Down on Illegal Petty Shops at SB and Hampankatta
Mangaluru: We see a lot of fruit stalls coming up like Mushrooms in the rainy season. Several times the Mangaluru City Corporation has cracked down on these illegal petty shops but of no use. Within a day of the demolition drive, they spring up again in the same place. Why doesn’t’ the MCC take a stern action against those violating the rules and putting up makeshift business anywhere and everywhere they want! If such a situation continues, vendors who operate legally inspite of the high rent, trade license fees, high garbage tax etc will suffer?
On April 19, once again the Revenue department along with the Health department jointly raided and evicted the illegal petty shops at state bank and the old Service bus-stand area. The commissioner of Mangaluru City Corporation has ordered the eviction of illegal petty shops and street vendors who are a nuisance to the pedestrians and law-abiding citizens.
A citizen, Speaking to mangalorean.com said, “In Mangaluru cities such as statebank and Hampankatta area there is no footpath for pedestrians since the street vendors have occupied it, some have put up their food stalls, fruit stall, selling clothes and footwear etc. As I work in the statebank area, people have to walk on the road which is very dangerous. If the MCC will not take serious action against such illegal practices, the street vendors will occupy the whole road in the days to come like they do on Sunday’s. The MCC has given stalls at the Yakshagana grounds for street vendors which are not used by them. They still occupy the footpaths at Statebank and the Market road selling their products.”
Speaking to mangalorean.com Mohammed Saleem said, “Last week I parked my vehicle in the parking slot outside the fruit market. When I came back with some fruits, I was shocked to see two venodrs (one male and one female) selling their products on the road. When I requested them to make way to remove my vehicle, they started to fight saying, “We are paying tax, you go and complain, this is our place”. The woman was very rude and did not allow me to move the car for 10 minutes. The MCC should provide a Number to complain against such people”, he said
Revenue officer Praveenchandra Karkera speaking to mangalorean.com said, “Earlier we did not have proper vehicles to carry out the raids to evict these illegal petty shops, now we have hired a permanent JCB, two tippers and 10 persons for this job. We will carry out the raid in all the streets of Mangaluru and clear the illegal petty shops which have drastically increased in the city. We are also seizing the old vehicles converted as shops, being used by the vendors.”
Assistant Town Planning officer Shivaraj, Dinesh, Raju, and Ravindra, from Pandeshwar police station Inspector Belliyappa, Sub Inspector of Bunder Station Madan, and other police staff were also present.