Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Aug 31: A protest was held in front of Mulky town panchayat office on Monday August 30, under the leadership of the district unit of Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI). The protest was against the move of the district administration to remove public taps operating within the panchayat limits.

“Once the drinking water supply to the town is privatized, the people residing within the town panchayat limits will be forced to shell out large amounts of money. In order to save yourselves from this ordeal, reject the instructions of the deputy commissioner outright,” he advised.

Munir said that Mangalore city has been wilting under the burden of Asian Development Bank loan amounting to Rs 300 crore. He claimed that the city corporation was now repenting for having raised  such a huge loan. “A planned conspiracy is being hatched to hoodwink the people, by doling out attractive promises like ‘Jalabhagya’, ‘24-hour water supply scheme’ etc. The local bodies have the responsibility of supplying drinking water to all the citizens. Corruption in them has become so rampant that they now want to commercialize water distribution and make money out of it,” he alleged.

He said that Moodbidri municipality has rejected the order of the deputy commissioner on this issue. He demanded for the supply of free water to the dalits, and resented the city corporation’s move to privatize central market, hospital and education centres in Mangalore, thus robbing the poor people of their right of livelihood. “The DYFI activists are even prepared to lay down their lives for the rights of the poor people to earn their livelihood and live respectably,” he declared.

Mulky town panchayat president, B M Asif, received a memorandum presented to him by the protestors. He said that Mulky is getting water from Mangalore, and going against the DC’s orders will adversely affect the grants to the panchayat. “The income of the town panchayat is very limited. At present, we are providing water connection to people belonging to scheduled and tribes by utilizing the funds reserved for their welfare. We will strive to stop misuse and illegal connection of water,” he said, while promising the concerned that he would bring the contents of the memorandum to the attention of the deputy commissioner.

Karnataka Prantya Raita Sangh general secretary, Yadav Shetty, DYFI city president, B K Imtiaz, district vice president, Ashok Shetty, and activists of Mulky unit of DYFI were present. Panchayat chief officer, Harishchandra Salian, vice president, Yogish Kotian and a few members were present.