Kundapura, September 20: Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Kota Srinivasa Poojary alleged that though the Navayug Company which got the contract of the maintenance of the national highway, has failed to provide facilities, it has been looting the people in the name of toll fee.

Addressing the agitators who staged a dharna near Sastana Toll-Gate, led by National Highway Awareness Committee, On Thursday Poojary said that the company should have constructed all service roads and put up street lights and completed the fly-over at Kundapura, Karavali and national highway work. But without doing it, it has been collecting toll fee and thus looting the people.

The national highway work has been posing many problems. Without giving priority for safety of the people, the company has taken up unscientific work. People would not tolerate such works, he warned.

District Lorry Owners Association President Rajesh Kaveri said that they were suspecting the existence of the democracy in the district. Though the people have been fighting against the National Highway problems for the last four years, the district administration has turned blind eyes towards the problem, he said.

National Highway Awareness Committee President Pratap Shetty, Advocates Shamsundar Nayari, Bannadi Somanath Hegde, ZP Member Raghavendra Barikere, TP Member Jyothi, Sathish Poojary of JayaKarnataka organization and others were present.

Call meeting by Sept 30

Kota Srinivasa Poojary said that the National Highway Authority officials who would agree the decisions in the meetings held by the district administration on National Highway problems, were exploiting the people. So, the deputy commissioner should convene a meeting of all leaders and representatives by September 30 and take a decision. Till then, local vehicles should be allowed freely in the toll-gate, he demanded.



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Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka High Court on Monday extended the interim relief given to Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh till March 9, in a case related to mimicking a character from the movie, 'Kantara Chapter-1', and allegedly mocking a deity.

The actor had approached the High Court seeking the quashing of the FIR against him for mimicking Rishab Shetty's role as 'Chavunda' deity in the movie.

While mimicking, Singh had called the deity a "ghost". The actor was asked to appear before the court in person on Monday.

Appearing on behalf of the actor, his counsel Sajjan Poovayya said Singh was stuck in London and was unable to reach Bengaluru due to the conflict in West Asia.

The complainant, who is a lawyer, alleged that his religious sentiments were hurt by calling the deity a ghost. On the directions of a local Court, the police registered a case against the actor.

The High Court on February 24 granted interim relief to the actor with directions to the police not to take any coercive steps against him.