The Karnataka high court received information that no action has been taken regarding the issue of noisy pubs in Indiranagar after repeated submission of complaints and petitions since 2015. This is when a division bench headed by chief justice Abhay Shreenivas Oka asked for a response from Bengaluru Police questioning the initiative from their end towards the complaints.
Bengaluru: City police have been directed by the Karnataka high court to submit their response regarding the actions they have taken against the pubs and bars in Indiranagar, Bengaluru, for causing noise pollution. The issue was raised by the residents in the area earlier and complaints were filed.
The court received information that no action has been taken regarding the issue after repeated submission of complaints and petitions since 2015. This is when a division bench headed by chief justice Abhay Shreenivas Oka asked for a response from Bengaluru Police mentioning the initiative from their end towards the complaints.
Defence Colony Residents Welfare Association (RWA) and other RWAs had submitted several representations against the 100 pubs and bars spread over 2km. This was mentioned in their Public Interest Litigation (PIL).
As per the Revised Master Plan created in 2015, residential (main), residential (mixed), parks, open spaces, traffic and transport and public utilities constitute about 76% of the proposed use of land in Indiranagar, the associations, who filed the petition, said.
The bench has adjourned the hearing to June 13. It has also stated that if the police are found to have taken no action against the complaints, including physical verification of the premises of the pubs and bars in the mentioned area, the lapse will be taken very seriously by the court.
The petitioner-associations reportedly said that the increase in vendors, especially those operating illegally, have given rise to more crimes – crime against women, against senior citizens and drug pedalling - in the residential area.
The associations have made a recommendation to the court asking it to direct the authorities not to issue licenses to sell intoxicants in the East Bengaluru area. They have also approached the excise commissioner and have sought a direction from him to shut down all pubs and bars for not complying with excise rules and regulations.
Reports released earlier this year had stated Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike’s take on the issue which said that the pubs and bars in commercial areas in Indiranagar cannot be shut down.