Vrindavan 2016.09.18 (VT): Illegal encroachments on public roads are making it hard to even walk on the narrow lanes of old Vrindavan. Be it the market of Thakur Bnakey Bihari, Radha Vallabh, Radha Raman or Radha Damodar, shop keepers have illegally occupied portions of roads to display their products, which furthers narrows down lanes.
But action from Municipal Corporation and city administration is yet to be taken against these shopkeepers, though several complaints have already been taken by the lodged by environment activists.
City Magistrate Ram Araj Yadav along with CO Sadar Alok Dubey started the campaign to free the lanes of old Vrindavan from illegal encroachment, two days prior to Hariyali Teej. It’s been weeks after that, but no action is taken yet to protect public properties.
Situation is so worst that devotees are finding it difficult to even walk to the old temples amid narrow lanes. Old people and children are facing major problems as vehicles can’t even enter these lanes. City administration has planned to free the city from illegal encroachments but the promises seem to go in vane as the time passes.
Poly bags, which are a major cause of pollution in the city, were banned after a verdict from National Green Tribunal early this year. There was a major reduction in plastic bag use after the verdict, for about a month. Even the Municipal Corporation and Pollution Control Board raided many markets and fined many shopkeepers for possessing poly bags.
But as the time passes, city administration seems to be falling loose on law implementation. As a result, poly bags can now again be seen openly at markets. Shopkeepers are using it openly as there is no one to keep a check on them. This has again raised the concerns for environment in the holy city.
Shopkeepers called for shutting down the markets
City Magistrate Ram Araj Yadav inspected the illegal encroachments affected markets on Saturday and tried to remove it using Police force. Retaliating to the action, shopkeepers started protesting against the use of “excessive forces” against them. Shopkeepers have also threatened the city administration of shutting down the markets which will cause inconvenience to general public apart from raising prices.
Shri Yadav asked some shopkeepers to keep their products inside the shop rather than displaying it on road. But the shopkeepers rather started arguing to which Shri Yadav warned them of Police action and penalty. City Magistrate has said that no shopkeeper will be allowed to take hold of public properties.
Read the article about polythene ban in Mathura.
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