Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (SP)

Kundapur, May 11: As restrictions were imposed on the movement of vehicles during the curfew period, people living in rural areas had to walk long distances on Monday May 10 to deliver milk to the milk dairy, buy ration items etc. Many of them covered tens of kilometres by foot.

People living near Amasebail were made to walk eight kilometres in total to visit the milk dairy and come back home. For buying ration items, they had to walk nearly 18 km.

The people are hard hit as they have to walk this distance before 10 am and then bring 20 to 25 kg of rice and other ration items under the hot sun. All over the state, similar problems have arisen. People in many villages have to walk ten km to bring groceries and 20 km to reach the nearest medical shop. They said that those who framed the rules perhaps overlooked the plight of the rural people. The villagers have been appealing to the government to permit them to use vehicles in the light of the above problems.

DC clarifies

Udupi district deputy commissioner (DC), G Jagadeesha, said that provision has been made for the people to arrange rented vehicles to bring ration items as fair price shops are normally located in far flung areas in villages. He said that similar concessions have been given to dairying and agriculture-related activities.