Hubli-Dharwad NGO files PIL over road humps

December 9, 2013

J Abbas Mulla, TNN

HUBLI: Fed up with the delay in eradicating unscientific road humps from roads in Hubli-Dharwad, members of an NGO here filed a Public Interest Litigation suit against civic authorities.

Claiming that these road humps have caused many motorists to suffer from neck pain, slip disc, fractures of the vertebra and other health problems, Sadbhavana Samiti members served notice under Section 482 of the Karnataka Corporation Act to commissioner Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) on July 18.

When the Samiti saw that the authorities hadn’t taken any action even after three months, its members decided to file the PIL. The Samiti has among its members renowned people including advocates, doctors and businessmen who took the initiative for the legal fight against HDMC and the government.

On November 21, Dr KH Jituri, 77, Dr Abdul Kareem Patwegar, 62 and businessmen Sanjay Shetti and Jeetendra Thakkar filed the suit in the court of the 1st Additional Civil Judge, making the HDMC commissioner and district deputy commissioner party to the suit.

Senior advocate and Samiti trustee GR Andanimath said, “The court accepted the submission on November 29 and the next hearing is on December 19.”

Dr KH Jituri said, “Every day, no less than 5-10 accidents occur only because of unscientific road humps and we’ve seen an increase in patients with severe health problems due to them.”

When the problem was brought to the notice of the HDMC commissioner, he assured the problem would be sorted out soon, but no action has been taken, he added.

Samiti secretary Sanjay Shetti said, “We had no alternative but to go to court. Despite our notice, HDMC didn’t even try to solve the problem and therefore filed a suit in court.”

According to HDMC sources, there are over 500 road humps in the twin cities and less than 20 are scientifically designed.

 

Source-http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com