HC pulls up City Corporation Commissioner

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Mar 02, 2017: The Karnataka High Court has pulled up the Commissioner of the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) for making an “incorrect” statement on the status of shifting of a beedi manufacturing unit from a locality surrounded by residential areas and schools near Kulur in the city.

Justice Raghvendra S. Chouhan expressed serious displeasure on the conduct of the Commissioner, Mohammed Nazeer, who was present in the court and made an oral statement that the unit of Sadhoo Enterprises was shifted from the location in question way back in 2015 whereas he has not said anything on shifting of the unit in his written statement filed before the court.

The Commissioner was personally present before the Court following a bailable warrant issued against him last week as he had failed to appear personally before the court despite a direction issued in this regard after he failed to respond to the notice.

“It is indeed a sorry state of affairs when a senior officer of the State is not speaking the truth before a court of law,” the judge observed orally while giving an opportunity to the Commissioner to comply with all earlier directions.

It was alleged in a petition, filed by Ravi D’souza, that despite serving notices in 2015 to the beedi unit to shift from the residential location, the corporation had not take any action.

Interestingly, counsel for the beedi unit stated before the court on January 25, 2017 that “only a notice has been served upon the unit after a spot inspection was carried out.”

The court adjourned further hearing giving time till March 15 for the Commissioner and the health officer to comply with earlier orders with regard to shifting.

Courtesy: The hindu