Associations protest against illegal coal transportation

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, June 2: The Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) and the Nandikur Jana Jagruthi Samithi held up the Mathsyagandha Express on June 1, Wednesday, to protest against coal transportation to Yellur. They did not allow the train to move for fifteen minutes. 

 

Alleging that the Konkan Railway is illegally transporting coal on open wagons from the New Mangalore Port to UPCL in Yellur, the protestors said that the railway authorities are not following the guidelines of the Pollution Control Board.
Stating the transporting coal in open wagons is dangerous to the environment and also life threatening since coal catches fire quickly, the protestors threatened to intensify their protests if the authorities failed to take strict action against such illegal transportation of coal. 

The protestors also submitted a memorandum to the station master and the superintendent in which they mentioned the various problems caused by such illegal coal transportation and urged the authorities to stop it immediately. 

Over 200 people, including women, participated in this protest under the guidance of leaders such as Nagesh Bhat of Nandikur Jana Jagruthi Samithi; Shashidhar Shetty, the former GP president; and Neetha Gururaj, the former member of the ZP.