Karkala: The demolition of a shop building adjacent to a bus shelter constructed at Andaru in Varanga Gram Panchayat limits with aid from the Gram Panchayat, has now raked up a controversy. It is learnt, the shop has been razed to ground as per a Lokayukta directive.
The Panchayat had in the year 201213 had resolved to demolish the dilapidated bus shelter and shop building and raise a new construction at a cost of Rs 1.80 lakh under the 13th Finance Scheme. An action plan was also prepared. However, a local resident had filed an objection to the same. Still, the panchayat went ahead with the works without the permission of the PWD following which a complaint was lodged.
Recently, a petition was even filed in the Lokayukta court to vacate the shop. Panchayat President Jyothi Harish has informed that the shop adjacent to the bus shelter was therefore demolished as per the Lokayukta court directive.
However, a local resident Girish Kamath who has been fighting since long to retain both the bus shelter and the shop, has alleged that the shop has been demolished to suit the interest of a local person. He has also alleged that the demolition of the structure is nothing but a waste of public funds.
PWD engineer Chandrashekhar on the other hand states that the Panchayat was directed to demolish the shop as per the Lokayukta directive as the shop has been constructed without the PWD permission as the adjacent road belongs to the PWD.
