M'lore: AC Leads Demolition Drive against Guest Houses on Someshwar Sea Shore
Pics: Sphoorty Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP/SB)
Mangalore, Nov 5: Dakshina Kannada district administration after initially targeting the roadside petty shops and tiny structures for demolition, has taken on bigger buildings.
The demolition team equipped with three backhoes is headed by assistant commissioner Prabhulinga Kavalikatti, the construction on illegal encroachment of government land began at around 6.30 am on Thursday November 5 at Someshwar sea shore in the city outskirts. In a daylong drive as the first demolished building, a guest house of a person residing in Mumbai in Battapady here and maintained by a local caretaker has been demolished. The land was encroached about 20 years ago and the construction came up during early 2000s.
However, locals protested stating that demolition drive is beign undertaken without the prior notice. Tight police security has been provided and Panambur deputy superintendent of police Girish was on the spot. Home guards too have been posted to quell any resistance.
Speaking to reporters, Kavalikatti said that a total of 100 acres of land in the area has been encroached in violation of Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) Notifications 1991. He said that since 2003 notices has been served for over 15 times to clear the encroached land with last one being served about two months ago. However, as the notices remained unanswered, the demolition drive has been undertaken, he said. In all 14 illegal constructions have come up, among which occupants of the three buildings have moved high court and secured a stay against demolition.
Tahsildar Ravichandra too was present at the spot.