Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (HB)
Udupi, Oct 22: The indefinite stir launched by Tipper Owners Association in different taluks of the district against the failure of the district administration to solve the issue of sand shortage has entered the fifth day now.
The tipper owners had warned on Saturday that they will escalate their agitation by holding protest in front of the office of the deputy commissioner (DC). Accordingly they decided to hold the agitation at DC office on Monday, October 22 and to move the vehicles on Sunday night.
But after several tippers reached Brahmavar, the police went there and asked them to stop moving the vehicles towards Udupi.
Earlier the tippers were parked outside the highway at places like Kundapur, Koteshwar, Kota, Hebri, Hemmady, and Belman etc. Now most of them are found in Brahmavar.
Heavy police presence is seen in Brahmavar. The protestors have demanded that DC should come and meet them.
Police have put barricaded in Udupi to stop the vehicles from moving towards DC office.
On Sunday, district in-charge minister Dr Jayamala had met the agitators. They had asked Dr Jayamala to transfer DC Priyanka Mary Francis for not addressing the sand issue. The minister told them that she could not take any decision in this matter.
As per latest reports, tippers have been stopped at different parts of the district, mainly Kundapur, Katpadi, Byndoor and Brahmavar.
Meanwhile, Vishwanath Matpady, president Brahmavar tempo union speaking to the media said, “In the month of August sand mining license should have been renewed but till now it has not happened. To make officials understand, we are holding peaceful protest. We will continue protest till we get justice. If they fail we will hold protest in aggressive manner in coming days.”
He further said, “Yesterday night we had planned to protest and submit a memorandum to the DC by taking our vehicles but the official stopped us on the way. We agreed to stop as requested by the police and stopped the vehicles on the road side. But we will not go back until we get a permanent solution. Till now we have not received any reply from the administration. We were protesting for the last few days. But till yesterday night none of the officials visited us. Yesterday suddenly they tried to speak to us when we tried to move towards DC’s office.
“We will abide by the law. Since last three years the issue is repeating. We demand to remove GPS from our vehicles. Sand belongs to the district and the people of Udupi must get it at minimum cost. Heavy penalties, double than the actual were put on vehicle owners. On the basis of vehicle registration number permission has to be given to transport sand,” he added.