Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (RD)

Udupi, Dec 31: The residents of Koorady village near Barkur of Brahmavar here staged the protest on Sunday December 30, against illegal mining being undertaken near BMM School at Koorady, , for the last one and half years.

A certain Gopal Marakala has been carrying out the illegal mining (quarrying) here using explosives.  The walls of houses of Narayan Poojary and Vishweshwar Bhat, which are close to the site, have developed cracks, owing to reckless mining in the area. 

The impact of explosives was felt even at BMM primary, high school and girls’ hostel, which are very close to the mining spot.  The residents' several pleas to Hanehalli Gram Panchayat, in the past, in order to restrain illegal mining have not yielded any success.  Hence, the locals led by Satish Poojary, taluk panchayat member, Fr Lawrence D’Souza, parish priest of local church, staged the protest at the site and cautioned them that they would intensify the protest if the lessee of mining site does not abandons the mining activities, at the earliest.