CH NEWS, BENGALURU The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) has told the Karnataka High Court that it will take action against illegally operating paying guest (PG) accommodations by sealing them and disconnecting electricity and water supply. GBA said thousands of PGs are operating without required licences, building-plan approvals and fire-safety clearances. Advocate B.S. Karthikeyan, representing GBA, said the Chief Commissioner will meet officials of BESCOM, BWSSB and the Bengaluru Police Commissioner this week to seek support for the proposed action. GBA’s legal cell is preparing notices for PG owners and occupants. The notices are likely to be issued within 10 days and will ask occupants to vacate within a reasonable period. Justice Suraj Govindaraj directed GBA not to provide only three to five days to vacate. He suggested a period of around 15 to 21 days. The court also said occupants need not be shifted if PGs comply with the requirements mentioned in the notices. When the court asked whether PG owners were correcting violations identified during the GBA survey, Karthikeyan said they were not. The court also directed GBA to file caveats before the Karnataka High Court and jurisdictional civil courts to prevent PG owners from obtaining ex parte interim stays without hearing GBA. GBA informed the court that 5,000 PGs had been inspected in Bengaluru East, of which 2,500 were found to be operating illegally. The inspection covered Whitefield, Mahadevapura, K.R. Puram, Indiranagar and C.V. Raman Nagar. In an order dated September 10, the High Court issued guidelines for PG accommodations to ensure they operate from legally permitted premises and protect the safety and dignity of occupants and neighbouring residents. The court also suggested creating a digital database of PG accommodations and directed authorities to adopt a continuing, risk-based system for inspection and enforcement. The case concerns a petition filed by the Paying Guest Owners Association and individual PG owners challenging notices issued to them.