Udupi, October 22: The construction labourers, daily wage workers and other workers involved in sand transportation have decided to sit in an indefinite dharna in front of the deputy commissioner’s office here from October 25, demanding solution to the sand problem in the district.
Interestingly, cutting across party line, all elected representatives from the district have decided to extend their support to the dharna.
Speaking to reporters here on Monday, Opposition Leader in the Legislative Council Kota Srinivas Poojary said that the dharna would continue till the problem was solved. In the last two decades, he has not seen such a worst administrative system in the district. The strike being observed by the lorry owners and drivers has entered the fifth day on Monday. They have parked their tippers and lorries on either side of national highway from Byndoor to Hejamadi. The district administration has not given permission for them to hold strike on the premises of the DC office, he said.
If the police tortured the vehicle drivers and owners who have been protesting peacefully, all MLAs would support the agitators, he warned the SP.
Now, the labourers who are dependent on sand were facing tough days due to scarcity of sand in the district. So, they have decided to stage dharna demanding solution to the sand problem and all five MLAs and MLCs of the district would support their cause, he said.
When the Chief Minister came to Udupi last time, he had directed the district administration to solve the problem by October 15. Even he held a meeting of the MLAs from coastal districts in Bengaluru and directed the authorities. But the district administration has been dilly-dallying to start the sand mining which shows that the state government has no control over the administration, he said.
Though 27 sand mines were identified in SRZ zone in the district, proposal was sent for only nine blocks and approval was taken only for seven. There were provisions to begin the sand mining legally, the district administration was not showing interest in it. As a result, the families which are dependent on sand mining have come on to the streets. They would continue their protest till they get justice, he said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Pandhurna (PTI): A woman was killed and 20 others were injured after a pick-up truck they were travelling in overturned in Madhya Pradesh's Pandhurna district, police said on Saturday.
The accident occurred around midnight on the Tigaon-Marud Road, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Niraj Soni said.
He said that Shivkali Marskole (40) died while undergoing treatment at a hospital while 20 others, including children, sustained injuries.
Soni said a pick-up truck from neighbouring Maharashtra was heading to Pandhurna when the driver lost control over the wheels, causing the vehicle to overturn at a bend.
Four injured children were referred to Nagpur, Maharashtra, for further treatment, the official said, adding that further investigation is underway.