Illegal shops razed in pre-dawn operation

They were constructed on a government land at Shanthigram in Hassan taluk

The anti-encroachment drive that began at around 7 am on Tuesday continued up to afternoon. More than 20 shops were demolished.

It is said that the shops were illegally constructed on the government land on Shanthigrama Main Road around 25 years ago.

The anti-encroachment drive was not sudden and was taken up as per the rules after being informed in a meeting held at Gram Sabha.

Notices issued

Notice was also issued to owners concerned one week before the clearance driv so that they could evict voluntarily. Since there was no response to the notice and traders, the district administration had to take up clearance drive, said a Grama Panchayat  member.
Tension prevailed for sometime when the earth moving machine was brought to the spot in the morning.

The shop keepers opposed the drive. While some threatened that they have moved court to obtain a stay order, others showed documents to stake their claim that the buildings were legal.

Howeever, the officials were not in a mood to listen anything and carried out the drive with the help of earth moving machines.

Out of 22 shops, eight were petty shops and others were concrete strucutres.
Gram Panchayat president Prathima Yogeesh and other members, Police Circle Inspector Venugopal and others were at the spot till the operation was complete.