Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Media Release

Mangaluru, Dec 16: A protest was held on Wednesday December 16 by a bunch of Bejai residents at the high tech Bejai Market complex over alleged unauthorized construction of shops in the basement of the building, meant only for car parking and two-wheeler parking. This is the same plush market complex which was inaugurated on November 21 with a lot of fanfare by the district in-charge minister Ramanath Rai.

A group of concerned residents of Bejai led by RTI activist Ajoy D’ Silva protested and raised questions about the alleged illegal construction. This work is being carried out in the basement in the name of cold storage facilities for the fish sellers in the building with a 2 feet door entrance, which raised doubts in the protesters' minds. On the other hand it could be clearly seen that certain portions of the wall on the ground floor were being pulled down, and a passage meant for free way for firefighters in case of emergency had been encroached with the work still being in progress, the residents said.

The protestors also said that while the open fish cubicles in the building are approximately 250 to 300 sq ft, the upcoming illegal cold storage facility being constructed is three times the size at 1000 sq ft approximately, which they said does not make practical sense. The protesters also managed to speak to the building contractor and architect Dharmaraj and queried him about the irregular work being carried out. According to the engineer the basement work was as per the building plan, which he conceded was his own and not the original one. When asked to produce the approved original building plan he avoided the topic. However, he said, the basement parking space was meant for cold storage facilities.

With regard to the passage at the backside of the ground floor, when asked why it was being closed and wall extended, he said it was unnecessary wastage of space and better utilized in extending the wall which otherwise would have been used to throw garbage materials. To which Ajoy D’Silva countered as to what would be done in case of emergency like a fire. The engineer had no answers. Instead, he said evasively that there were other facilities available like exhausts inside the shops. Besides, he said, there were other escape routes but did not sound too convincing in the matter, said the residents.

The protesting residents of Bejai which included Ashok D’Cunha, Anup Moraes, Anil D’Souza, Nina Rai, Nigel Albuquerque and a few others departed around 12 noon, not entirely convinced with the explanation given by the authorities. They have now decided to take the matter right up to the DC level and if not satisfied with the outcome, take the matter to the Lokayukta as well to ensure the market basement is left free for parking cars only and not for illegal construction of shops and the rent planned to be siphoned off illegally, they said.