A Chinese restaurant located on Flower Road, Colombo 07, has reportedly continued to carry out business activities, despite a court order preventing them from constructing commercial buildings and conducting business.
According to sources, a case was filed in the District Court Colombo in January 2018 by the neighbors against the said Chinese restaurant which falls within the Special Primary Residential Zone of Colombo under the City of Colombo Development Plan Amendment (2008) passed under the Urban Development Authority (UDA) Act.
The plaintiffs have alleged that the restaurant has not obtained any approvals from the UDA or the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) to carry on business operations.
Reportedly, the District Court of Colombo has given two enjoining orders on the 19th January, to stop all construction and restore the property to its original use (i.e., residential purpose) on the basis that no approvals had been granted by the UDA for the construction of a restaurant,
However, it was reported that, despite the Directive issued by the UDA and the subsequent Court Orders the owners of the Chinese restaurant have completed the construction work and have commenced business operations.
The plaintiffs have the proceeded to file a Contempt case against a Chinese national who manages and operates the restaurant, said the source.
Accordingly, the neighbors have made numerous police complaints against the restaurant for the emission of excessive sound levels and dust during the period of construction and improper discharge of sewage as well as causing severe obstruction as a result of the number of vehicles entering and exiting the restaurant via a private road.
Reportedly, another restaurant, also situated on Flower Road run by the same Chinese national, has been recently raided by the Cinnamon Gardens Police and parties have been arrested for having beer and cigarettes in excess of the authorized limit.
The case will proceed to the inquiry in respect of the interim injunctions sought by the plaintiffs and the contempt proceedings against the Chinese national operating the unauthorized restaurant will proceed concurrently, according to the source.
