Pics: Karthik Studio
News: Mounesh Vishwakarma
Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (SP)

Bantwal, Jun 15: Deviating from the mundane methods of protest, citizens of the town, frustrated to no end by the slushy roads, resorted to a novel method to register their anguish. As well-known folklore artiste, Shara G Bangera, started singing the popular song, ‘Oobeley’, that is sung during farming operations, journalists, photographers and the people gathered on the road started sowing seeds on the road itself. This scene was witnessed at B C Road on Monday June 14.

This programme had been undertaken to pressurize the concerned to take necessary steps to clear the drains and relieve the citizens of the need to wade through muddy water and then get drenched by the dirt splashed at them by moving vehicles. The protest was held in association with Bantwal Taluk Working Journalists Union, Taluk Photographers Association and ‘Namma Bantwal’ group of organizations, at B C Road bus stand.

As the protestors went along the road, sowing paddy, green gram and finger millet (ragi) seeds, social workers and local citizens extended them moral support by walking along with them. The protestors later gathered at the slushy terrain lining the fly over of B C Road. Social worker, Dinesh Amin, taluk Kannada Sahitya Parishat president, B Ramaiah, Nada Maninalkur etc., who addressed the gathering, condemned the negligence of peoples’ representatives and officials towards the despicable condition of the town’s roads.

President of Working Journalists Union, Venkatesh Bantwal, vice president, Sooryanarayan Pooavala, treasurer, Yadav Agrabail, Bantwal Taluk Photographers Association president, Satish Kumar, Prashant Punjalakatte, representing ‘Namma Bantwal’ group of organizations, Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy member, Ashok Shetty Sarapady, Beary Sahitya Parishat president, Abbas Ali Bolantoor, Harish Rao, Padmanabha Rao, Rajendra, lawyers, Srinivas Daipala, K P Raghavendra Bannintaya, Bantwal Land Development Bank president, Sudarshan Jain, social worker, Vishwanath Bantwal, Satish Melkar, Prabhakar Prabhu Karpe, Razack Kukkaje, journalists, Mohan K Sriyan, Latif Nerlakatte, Farooq Goodinabali, Kishore Peraje, Sukumar Bantwal, Uadyashankar Neerpaje, Vishnugupta Punacha, Jayananand Peraje, Mounesh Vishwakarma etc., were present.

Journalist, Gopal anchan, delivered introductory address. Photographers Association secretary, Sukumar, proposed vote of thanks. Artiste, H Kenayanadu, conducted the programme.

At the insistence of the protestors, taluk tahsildar visited them and promised to take all necessary steps to rid the town’s roads of slush, within 24 hours. He said he also is thinking as a citizen of the town, and that he will not leave any stone unturned to address their grievances. Municipality chief officer, Shivalinga Kondaguli, and police station in-charge, Vivekanand, were present.

At the same time, local MLA, B Ramanath Rai, presided over a meeting to sort out problems created in the town because of rains. The MLA took the officials to task for failing to address the issues of bad roads and traffic jams in the town. It was decided to take all necessary steps to solve the problems, and KSRTC and police department were asked to take steps to make alternate arrangements to lessen traffic pressure and also to act against unauthorized parking.