Pics: Umesh Marpalli

Daijiworld Media Network — Udupi (HB)

Udupi, Jul 25: Small shop owners staged a protest against Malpe Development Committee, Udupi, at Malpe beach on Friday July 24.

Nearly 24 small stalls have been operating in the Malpe beach area since 30 years serving tourists seafood, fast food and coffee. For six months in a year business is good, but the turnover for the rest of the year is not as good. The stall owners depend on this for their livelihood as well as their children’s education. They have no social security for their jobs. They used to pay Rs 5,000 per annum to the committee as tax.

Malpe beach and St Mary’s Island are the best tourist destinations for travelers and the beach requires many basic facilities. The committee has been working since the past seven years but concentrating very little on development of the beach.

According to the shoppers, there are four other stalls that have started service unofficially on Malpe Beach Road. They alleged that someone comes and demands Rs 50 per day as rolling ‘haftha’.

But now the Malpe Beach Development Committee has decided to call a tender for installing an additional 30 shops near the beach. If the decision is executed, it will take away their daily bread. All the stall owners belong to the local areas of Malpe.

The members of the small traders’ committee decided to submit an appeal to the district commissioner in Udupi to find an immediate solution to their problem.