Nagpur News: The Futala Lake Welfare Association – a group of shop owners – has demanded regularization of illegal constructions erected by Sell Ad partners Shailendra Mehta and Pankaj Rai, all kiosk owners ready pay pending rents immediately and asserted maintaining of harmony in business rather fighting or knocking court over the dispute which had caused violence on Sunday night. An eatery owner was savagely beaten by a gang of 25-30 goons over an old business rivalry and many shops were also ransacked. At that time the Futala Lake Welfare Association had demanded immediate action in this case and threatened to launch agitation if the concerned contractor is not removed soon.
Later, the Sell Ad partners Shailen Mehta and Pankaj Rai were booked on Tuesday night for defrauding lakeside owners.
Addressing a press conference, the President of Futala Lake Welfare Association, Nagpur Ajay Bagdi, said, “The NIT had, in an agreement, given a work order to Sell Ad Group for erecting 20 food kiosks on BOT basis at the Futala Lake (Run by them or others) including beautification of the Futala Lake. The work order was till five years. The Sell Ad allotted 20 kiosks to the interested persons at different rates. Moreover, the NIT had handed over sanctioned plan to Sell Ad properly mentioning the places of food kiosks, garden and parking stand. The Sell Ad cleverly erected all the allotments and constructions for the renters in front of the NIT officials during their visits to the Futala Lake. Nothing wrong,” Bagdi said.
“However, the situation took a dramatic turn when the NIT issued notices on to all the renters on May 23, 2013 stating that the construction of their foods kiosks, establishments was illegal. According to NIT notices, the construction was made on the parking slot. The shocked shoppers approached the NIT on June 4, 2013 and pleaded for justice and also filed complaint of cheating by the Sell Ad. The Commissioner of Police also assured of positive and legal action and done, too. The Sell Ad is supplying water to all shoppers from boring but the supply was stopped on the day of Ganesh idol immersion. The Sell Ad is carrying out illegal “pay and park” and recovering huge amount from the visiting vehicle owners. The open space in front of shops is not meant for “Pay and Park.” The illegal “Pay and park” system is going on since 2010,” Bagdi lamented.
The President of Futala Lake Welfare Association, Nagpur Ajju Bagdi said, “All the shoppers have been outraged by the Sunday incident. The shoppers have decided to keep their kiosks closed till we get justice. We have stopped payment of June rents and the payment will be made at a stroke once the shops are regularized,” Ajju Bagdi said.
The Secretary of the Association Purshottam Ghodmare said, “Our relations with both the sons of late Dilip Chaudhary are very close. All the shoppers pay Rs 7 lakh as rent per month and have spent lakhs on the construction of shops. The Sell Ad neither cleans and maintains Futala Lake nor deploys 20 security guards as per the agreement. The 2-3 dozens of illegal “thelas” on Vayusena Road nearby Futala Lake have been badly denting our revenue. Moreover, the fountain in the lake should be functional on all days but it functions only on Saturdays and Sundays,” Ghodmare said.
