Businessmen facing eviction receive reprieve for 15 days

BELAGAVI: Deputy mayor Prakash Shirolkar on Sunday pleaded before district in-charge minister Satish Jarkiholi not to depute Belagavi City Corporation (BCC) commissioner M R Ravikumar for the eviction drive between Mahaveer Bhavan and 3rd Railway Gate along Khanapur Road.
In a heated meeting, 14 businessmen, who have obtained a stay order on the eviction drive, argued that some section of the road is widened only to about 90ft-98ft.A heated argument was witnessed between Shirolkar, who has a business establishment near Mahaveer Bhavan, and Ravikumar. Shirolkar said that he has not encroached upon any land and has documents to prove his claim. Ravikumar retorted by saying: “I will be present with JCB tomorrow… If you don’t produce a proper document, I will demolish the encroached building.”
Shirolkar then asked Jarkiholi not to depute Ravikumar on the eviction drive. “He (Ravikumar) will not listen to anyone,” said Shirolkar, asking Jarkiholi to be present during the drive.
The businessmen had a meeting with district authorities and Jarkiholi.
All eyes are now on the BCC as the public works department, which carried out the earlier eviction drive on Khanapur Road, has asked the corporation to clear encroachments. The department has asked BCC to carry out eviction drive on the rest of the 120-ft wide road, saying it did not issue no objection certificates to buildings on the encroached area. “Since BCC collected tax from the unauthorized constructions, hence the department will send a proposal to BCC to clear encroached property which belongs to the public works department,” said executive engineer R B Damannavar.
Speaking to reporters, Jarkiholi said that alleged encroachers have been given 15 days’ time to produce documents proving legality of buildings situated between Mahaveer Bhavan and 3rd Railway Gate. “If they fail to submit the document, the encroachment will be cleared through a demolition drive,” said Jarkiholi.
The minister said that no interference in the issue will be tolerated. Reacting to the interference of MLA Sambhaji Patil, Jarkiholi said that the MLA could have done so to protect his followers who are facing the eviction drive. “Already, 90% of the encroachment has been cleared. Only 14 people have got stay order. Hence, the district administration has asked them to submit document pertaining to their property,” he said.