BENGALURU: Fed up with the apathy of the government and the BBMP for not being able to get rid of various problems related to pubs and microbreweries in Indiranagar, residents have decided to file a PIL in the High Court soon. Residents have started a crowdfunding campaign for this.
Speaking with the City Express, Sneha Nandihal, civic activist and president of an RWA in Indiranagar, says. “We posted information about the campaign on Facebook, Twitter and sent it through WhatsApp. We hope it will pick up from there.” When asked if they would also use online crowdsourcing platforms for the purpose, Nandihal adds, “We will route all contributions only through our own eight RWAs,” she adds.
Around three months ago, the BBMP had carried out a high tempo drive to shut down rooftop bars and pubs. However many of those pubs that shut down after the drive, have opened shop again in clear violation of the rules. This is just one example of the many ways in which the authorities have failed the residents. “The authorities do not even acknowledge our letters. The Fire Services department served notices and so did the BBMP. Why are they still functioning? The government and the opposition have totally failed us,” she adds.
Issues related to noise, traffic congestion and sewage caused by these pubs are the other issues residents have been raising for a while now. Nandihal adds, “Many of these rooftop bars and microbreweries have no clearances from the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board. All the effluents go to the residents’ sewage system. They should set up a seperate sewage system for the purpose.”
About a year ago, three of the eight RWAs filed a PIL against the commercialization of pavements, and won. Powered by the HC order, the residents managed to force the authorities to also enforce the same. Residents are hoping to do the same with their latest move.
Vinoo Thimmaya, a resident, says he supports the crowdfunding campaign and will contribute to it. “Over the past two years, I have raised various complaints on loud noise and littering by a pub near my house with the authorities, individually. Authorities send notices and things become better for a while, but they go back to square one. The petition can surely put an end to such problems faced by residents like me once and for all,” he says.
A statement issued by I Change Indiranagar, a federation of all the eight RWAs in Indiranagar, says, “This petition, if successful, will make a substantial difference to Indiranagar. Most of all, it will reduce the stress in our lives: less traffic, less pollution, less harassment.”