Residents Watch impact

Illegal eateries shutdown by BBMP after a story in this magazine

By QAMAR ZJ

Operating any food outlet with the kitchen in the basement is against the order of the Karnataka High Court. When Residents Watch brought this to the notice of its readers and the authorities in the previous months, action followed.

Thanks to proactive health inspector Vinod G, the Raghavendra Coffee House on 24th Main was shut down and Bansuri Sweets on 27th Main is to close by the end of March. Similarly, the upcoming Zoya Food Court on 27th Main that was highlighted by Residents Watch in our March issue was also issued a notice to prevent their launch in the basement. They have since moved to a new location.

All of this was possible, thanks to a proactive Residents Watch keeping a tab on all the retail happenings in HSR Layout. The active Telegram group brought this to the notice of other residents and government officials. This was followed by the publishing of the rampant violation of the law in the monthly neighbourhood magazine.

Says Vinod: “It is a violation and the BBMP hadn’t given any permission to run such an establishment in the basement. The eatery owners said they would go to court against this shutdown, and we told them to go ahead.” Little do the businessmen realise that they are in violation of the highest court of the land.

Let this story serve as a forewarning to all those businessmen planning to start any eatery in the basement. Similarly, you cannot open any commercial store in a basement if it’s earmarked for parking. Even that will be shutdown.

If you come across such violations, write to us (residentswatchmag@gmail.com) with supporting photographs and we will alert the authorities. A vigilant public can keep both the law breakers and the government officials in check. But that can only happen when the citizens are aware of the laws of the land. Let this serve as one such lesson to everyone.