Media Release

Udupi, Nov 18: The Udupi Block Congress committee has submitted a memorandum urging immediate cancellation of the lease agreement under which government land in Malpe Hanuman Nagar has been allotted to the Dakshina Kannada and Udupi District Cooperative Fish Marketing Federation.

The memorandum was submitted through Udupi District deputy commissioner Swaroopa T K to Udupi district in-charge minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar under the leadership of Block Congress president Ramesh Kanchan.

In April this year, the Karnataka Waterways Board leased around 8 acres of government land, located near the Sea Walk area, the Hanuman Bhajana Mandira in Malpe, to the Federation for a duration of 15 years.

The Block Congress stated that this naturally scenic coastal land, when leased to the Cooperative Federation, is likely to create difficulties for local fishermen, devotees of the Bhajana Mandira, and tourists in the days ahead. They demanded that the lease be cancelled and the land be reserved strictly for public use, without being handed over to any private or cooperative body.

Udupi District Mahila Congress president Jyothi Hebbar, former Municipal Council president Meenakshi Madhava Bannanje, Udupi District Religious Council member Asha Chandrashekhar, Kadekar gram panchayat vice president Naveen Shetty, Ambalpady gram panchayat member Lakshman Poojary, Block Congress Committee vice presidents Sukesh Kundar and Satish Kodavoor, Block Congress general secretary Satish Kumar Manchi, Youth Congress leaders Hammad and Sanjay Acharya, and Congress leaders Jayaveer Fredricks and Shilpa, were present.