Submit report on Bengaluru’s lakes: Karnataka HC to BBMP

Court was hearing PIL by residents’ associations of Indiranagar

Karnataka High Court (EPS| Debdutta Mitra)

BENGALURU: Taking serious note of the hardship and inconvenience caused to the residents of Indiranagar due to loud music being played in pubs and bars in particular, the Karnataka High Court on Thursday directed the state to submit a report on the action taken by the city police on the representations submitted by the residents in this regard.
Referring to the serious complaints about noise pollution,  a division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice P S Dinesh Kumar cautioned that they may come down heavily on the police,  if they did not act on the representations on the breach of rules by the pubs and bars.   
The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by the Defence Colony Residents Association and others including other residents welfare associations.

Petitioners’ counsel told the
court that there were 100 pubs
and bars operating in a radius
of 2km till 1 am | EXPRESS

A senior counsel for the petitioners said that several representations were submitted to the authorities, including the city police commissioner, against the nuisance caused by pubs and bars in Indiranagar 1st and 2nd stage, HAL 2nd and 3rd stages. However, no action was taken. 
The counsel informed 
the court that there were 100 pubs and bars operating in a radius of 2km and music 
was played till 1 am. It was appalling that every law has been violated by most of the pubs, bars, rooftop bars and microbreweries, he said.

The petition states that the provisions of the Karnataka Excise Act, Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act, BBMP bye laws and the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act, Karnataka Fire Services Act are violated by most of the pubs and bars. 
The petitioners said that due to unchecked mushrooming of pubs and other vendors of liquor in blatant violation of laws within the precincts of Indiranagar residential area, there was a sporadic increase in crimes against women and senior citizens. They said the other problems included drug peddling in predominantly residential areas and their surrounding parks and playgrounds, increase in traffic, unhealthy levels of noise and air pollution, parking issues and public nuisance.

Highlights of the representation submitted  

• Most pubs and bars blast loud music using state-of -the-art sound system well past 1 am
• After pubs and bars close, inebriated and unruly patrons roam the streets of the neighbourhood until morning, indulging in drunken, and disorderly behaviour
• Pubs and bars offer valet parking as they have very little parking area or have no parking facilities. This leads to haphazard parking on the pavements of Dr Karim Khan Road, 12th Main, HAL 2nd Stage, 80 feet road and clogging of residential bylanes
• Indiranagar has also become infamous for other illegal activities like drug peddling and prostitution

Various demands of petitioners  

• Issue directions to Excise Commissioner to not grant licences to sell intoxicants
• Direct Excise Commissioner to withdraw licences of establishments violating rules
• Issue directions to 
• Karnataka State Pollution Control Board to ensure ambient air quality is preserved and maintained
• Initiate criminal prosecution against violators