Indiranagar residents file plea against BBMP officials

Fed up with the promises made by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to shut down commercial establishments in residential areas, the people of Indiranagar have decided to file a contempt of court against BBMP officials for not implementing high court orders.

The members of ‘I Change Indiranagar’, which is a federation of all the eight resident welfare associations in the locality, have written a letter to the BBMP commissioner, joint commissioner, health and solid waste management, BBMP, and also to the joint commissioner of the East zone to implement it in a month’s time. The letter was submitted to the officials on June 2, 2018, and it demands the enforcement of the order within 30 days, failing which the residents would approach the court.

The residents of Indiranagar have been fighting against the civic body to shut down commercial establishments functioning in residential areas for a long time now. Although the high court has passed an order and asked the BBMP to shut them down, the officials have not enforced it completely.

“Three orders are specially for Indiranagar and all this happened during April 2017, and hardly any action has been taken until now,” said a resident.

“We are writing to inform you that if the honourable court orders are not abided by within 30 days of receipt of this letter, we will be forced to file a contempt petition in the high court and take all the enforcement officers in our jurisdiction to the honourable court for contempt. This, we believe, is also dereliction of duty by officials on ground, and the BBMP, in allowing illegal commercialisation, is allowing violations and the residents are determined to put an end to it,” reads the letter, which was submitted to the officials.

“We do not want to resort to this action either. What other course do we have to resolve this issue but for approaching the court?” said Sneha Nandihal, president, BM Kaval Resident’s Welfare Association.

Mayor R Sampath Raj said the officials will comply with the high court order soon.

BBMP commissioner M Maheshwar Rao was not available for comments.