The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday directed the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to conduct an inspection of K.R. Market along with officers of the Fire and Emergency Services (F&ES) Department and then submit a fresh status report on compliance with fire safety norms.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice H.T. Narendra Prasad issued the direction during the hearing of a PIL petition, filed in 2017 by the Bengaluru Flower Merchants’ Association, K.R. Market, questioning the BBMP’s action of allowing illegal shops blocking the entry and exit points within the complex.
The BBMP had already initiated measures after the court in March this year pulled the civic body and threatened to order closure of the market when a report submitted by the F&ES Department disclosed that space earmarked for movement of fire extinguishers were either encroached, blocked by vendors or by dumping of waste materials.
Assets of councillors
The High Court on Wednesday directed the BBMP to submit a report on a petition, which sought initiation of action for disqualification of 16 councillors for failing to declare their assets and liabilities, and 18 other councillors who have not submitted the declaration within the period stipulated in law.
Justice G. Narendar passed the order while adjourning further hearing on a petition filed by Anil Kumar Shetty K,, a resident of J.P. Nagar.