Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Mar 15: The villagers came together to block bypass road laying work, being conducted as part of widening of the national highway 66 near Padubidri. The incident occurred at Kalsanka in Yermal.

Navayuga Constructions, which has been executing the highway four-laning work, had been conducting works on a site belonging to an individual at the said spot, since the last ten days. The owner of the land, duly summoning support from the locals, resisted the move of the company to go ahead with the road laying work. The protestors said that they had neither been served with any acquisition notices, nor any compensation had been disbursed.

The protestors were led by Dalit Sangharsh Samiti and Anti Bypass Action Committee activists. Taking note of the situation, district deputy commissioner, M T Reju, ordered temporary suspension of the bypass work for a week.

Committee activists, Navinchandra Shetty and Navin Shetty, as well as Shekhar Hejmady, Diwakar Bhat and others belonging to Dalit Sangharsh Samiti were present.