The food mela during the Muslim Holy month of Ramadan, which is much sought after by the locals for the beautiful culinary spread, in Bengaluru’s Frazer Town has not gone down with the residents who are now seeking action against the vendors. In a joint letter by the Fraser Town Residents’ Welfare Association (RWA) and the Hajee Sir Ismail Sait Mosque Committee, residents have said that the food mela has become a nuisance. The food mela conducted in the name Ramadhan Food Mela has nothing to do with the holy month of Ramadan and is not a cultural and religious event. The conduct of the food stall vendors during this event has resulted in several violations of Indian laws and has caused immense inconvenience and public nuisance to the residents of Frazer Town, they said in the letter addressed to the commissioner of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). As per our observations and complaints received from residents, the food stall vendors during the Ramadhan Food Mela have been engaging in various offences, including footpath and road encroachment, smoke and noise pollution, public nuisance, operating throughout the night, blocking the way to the religious place and electricity theft from the street electric poles, which are not only creating an unpleasant living environment for the residents but are also violating Indian laws.
