PWD razes to ground 8 petty shops at Derlakatte

PWD razes to ground 8 petty shops at Derlakatte

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Mar 14, 2015: As many as eight petty shops including three run by differently abled people, near the KS Hegde Hospital at Derlakatte were demolished by the Public Works Department on March 13, Friday, amid police protection. The PWD is engaged in the works of widening the Tokkottu-Melkar road.

It has been gathered that the PWD had served notices to the shopkeepers about one and a half weeks ago. However many affected shopkeepers alleged discrimination and pointed out that the authorities adopted a biased approach towards the poor.

They also complained that the officials have razed their shops without making any alternate arrangement.

One of the affected shopkeepers is Poornima Pai, a differently abled woman who is a newspaper agent . In fact the shop was allotted to her  by the Social Welfare Department almost two decades ago. Poornima lives all by herself at a rented house at Bagambila.

Meanwhile, PWD contractors and the local panchayat have promised alternate arrangements for Poornima very soon as she  has all relevant documents regarding her shop.