Mohan Kuthar
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Mar 14: The public works department, which has been executing the work of widening the road between Thokkottu and Melkar, razed petty shops that were functioning by the roadside near K S Hegde Hospital at Deralakatte here on Friday March 13.

These eight petty shops had been served with notices of eviction 12 days back. The shopkeepers, out of which three are specially abled, alleged that the department has been treating haves and have-nots with different yardsticks and that poor people are facing injustice.

"Without making any alternative arrangements for us, our means of livelihood have been suddenly snatched away. We do not know how to feed and look after our family members," the shop owners rued.

In this demolition drive, Poornima Pai, a differntly-abled woman, who had opened shop here and was working as newspaper agent, has lost the shop she had been allotted by the social welfare department 22 years back. She had been driven away by family members. Poornima, who is now in her fiftees, had got the shop allotted to her by the government with timely help extended by a well-meaning senior citizen. She lives alone in a rented home near Bagambila, and eked out a living out of her earnings from this shop. Her means of livelihood stands snatched away due to this demolition drive.

Both the PWD contractors and local panchayat have assured Poornima that all efforts would be put to see that she gets shop in an alternative site within two days, in view of the fact that she has all the documents including eligibility certificate from social welfare department, licence from the panchayat, and others.

Ulla police oversaw law and order situation during the said demolitions.