KOZHIKODE: A large number of shopkeepers are under the threat of eviction because of a recent court order that enables the owner of a building to evict them from their place of business if the space is needed for his or her personal use, the Calicut Chamber of Commerce and Industry has said.
The chamber has, in representations to Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan and Minister for Law M. Vijaya Kumar, appealed to the State Government to change the laws to prevent large-scale eviction of shopkeepers since it will lead to loss of their livelihood.
Underlining the seriousness of this problem, P.T.S. Unni, chamber secretary, and C.E. Chakunny, former president, said at a press conference on Wednesday that a number of merchants who had being doing business in the city for 75 years had been evicted. Nearly 90 per cent of the 13-lakh merchants in the State were doing business on rented premises. Ten to 15 employees who worked in each shop also were under threat of losing their means of livelihood. The merchants were paying rent under the provisions of the Kerala Buildings (Lease and Rent Control) Act. The lease agreements were being periodically revised. Section 11(3) of the law had provided protection for the merchants from eviction, they said. The chamber had convened a meeting at its office in Asokapuram on February 12 to discuss the issue.
The chamber has, in representations to Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan and Minister for Law M. Vijaya Kumar, appealed to the State Government to change the laws to prevent large-scale eviction of shopkeepers since it will lead to loss of their livelihood.
Underlining the seriousness of this problem, P.T.S. Unni, chamber secretary, and C.E. Chakunny, former president, said at a press conference on Wednesday that a number of merchants who had being doing business in the city for 75 years had been evicted. Nearly 90 per cent of the 13-lakh merchants in the State were doing business on rented premises. Ten to 15 employees who worked in each shop also were under threat of losing their means of livelihood. The merchants were paying rent under the provisions of the Kerala Buildings (Lease and Rent Control) Act. The lease agreements were being periodically revised. Section 11(3) of the law had provided protection for the merchants from eviction, they said. The chamber had convened a meeting at its office in Asokapuram on February 12 to discuss the issue.
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