Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi
Updated
Udupi, Feb 10: The Heddari Jagruti Samiti, which along with other organizations and the locals has been protesting against the collection of toll charges at Gundmi and Hejamady, has called for a district-wide bandh on Monday February 13.
Announcing the bandh in a press meet at Sasthan on Friday February 10, the Samiti said that except for ambulance, milk vans and other emergency and essential commodity vehicles, no one will be allowed to pass through the highway on the day of the bandh.
"As per our demand, vehicles with KA 20 (Udupi) registration should be exempted from the toll charges. Service roads, drainage system and toilets should be constructed along the highway. We are opposed to the collection of toll charges without the fulfillment of these demands," the Samiti said.
Zilla panchayat member Raghavendra Kanchan said, "We are disappointed with our MP (Shobha Karandlaje). We have urged her to listen to the grievances of the people here at least once, still she has not responded. She has failed to resolve the tollgate issue."
Kundapur TMC vice-president Rajesh Kaveri, Irodi gram panchayat president Moses Rodrigues and others were present.
Section 144 at tollgates near Hejamady and Gundmi
In the wake of protests against collection of toll charges at Gundmi and Hejamady tollgates, the Udupi district administration has imposed section 144 at Hejamady and Gundmi to contain untoward incidents.
In a communique sent late evening on Friday February 10, the district administration has said that as there have been protests in the above mentioned areas in the past few days after toll collection was introduced, it has been decided to impose the section to maintain peace and to stop damage to the property.
The prohibitory orders have been imposed on a radius of 2 kilometres from Hejamady near Padubidri and Gundmi near Sasthan toll gates, from 6 pm, February 10 to February 15 midnight.
During this time, people will be prohibited from moving in groups of five or more in the said areas. No public meet, programme, protest or procession would be allowed. No one, except police, would be allowed to carry weapons of any sort and speeches, banners or any propaganda material intended to disrupt peace would be prohibited.
It may be recalled that as negotiations with the officials concerned had failed, the Heddari Jagruti Samiti had announced that it would continue its protest at Gundmi on Saturday February 11. Sources said that the Samiti is determined to go ahead with the protest despite the prohibitory orders, with MLA Halady Srinivas Shetty and MLC Kota Srinivas Poojary likely to join.