Eight-day-long dharna on sand extraction issue withdrawn

Eight-day-long dharna on sand extraction issue withdrawn

Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, Nov 02, 2018: The eight-day-long dharna by the Maralu Horata Samiti on the sand extraction issue in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s Office here was withdrawn following talks between the protestors and Rajendra Kataria, Secretary, Department of Commerce and Industries (Mines and MSME), on Thursday.

According to the samiti, a four-hour-long meeting was held at the Deputy Commissioner’s Office on the issue on Thursday. The samiti said that the authorities have promised to meet its demands with regard to sand extraction in the non-Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) areas.

As far as sand extraction in CRZ areas was concerned, the State government wrote to the Union government on October 25 and has already sought clarifications on certain aspects. The State was waiting for directions from the Union government. Hence, the State government wanted some time in the matter. The samiti said that Mr. Kataria had agreed to accompany a delegation of MLAs and MPs from the coastal districts to Delhi to discuss issues related to sand extraction. He had urged the protestors to withdraw the protest till all the matters related to the issue were sorted out, and that if the protests intensified, it might create other difficulties.

After discussing with the protestors, the samiti decided to postpone the protest till November 20. The samiti would wait and see what kind of changes in rules would come from the Union and State governments and then decide the future course of action. As a result, the Udupi District Bandh call given for November 10 has also been withdrawn, the samiti said.