Pics: Spoorthi Ullal

Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (MS)

Mangaluru, Feb 1: A public meeting convened to inform residents about water transport development from Netravati railway bridge to Bolar Sea Face turned chaotic, sparking public anger over the absence of key Smart City officials. The event, held at Kanti Church Hall in Mangaladevi, witnessed a walkout by disgruntled attendees who demanded the presence of higher-ranking officials, including those from Smart City, the deputy commissioner, assistant commissioner, MLA, and the mayor of Mangaluru City Corporation.

Arun Prabha, chief manager of Smart City, attempted to share details about the water transport and cruise plans, but faced a barrage of questions from the public. Attendees questioned the urgency of the meeting, the lack of information provided to local fishermen and industrial owners, and the absence of prior notice in newspapers.

Environmentalists, including Dinesh Holla, lecturer Dr Praveen, NCF's organizing secretary Harish Rajkumar, Dr Sheryl Colaco, and Congress leader Lawrence D’Souza, raised concerns during the meeting. Criticism was also directed at the timing of the information dissemination, as the tender for water cruise development had already been issued before public consultation.

The public expressed dissatisfaction over being kept uninformed about the Rs 70 crore project, with RTI activists noting that queries related to the project submitted through RTI had not been answered by the concerned authorities. As tensions escalated, the meeting concluded prematurely in chaos.