Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Aug 6: Condemning the action of the NIT-K administration in denying entry to the local people into its campus, locals organized a protest near its main gate on Tuesday August 5.

The protestors pointed out that the NIT-K campus also houses Kannada and English medium schools, nationalized bank, post office and cooperative society. The public will be inconvenienced if entry for them is prohibited, they argued.

Mangalore City Corporation mayor Ganesh Hosabettu who addressed the protestors, said that the locals had sacrificed their lands for the setting up of NIT-K but they are denied entry now. The governing council is wrong in closing the gates leading to Padre, Udaynagar and Munchoor villages. "We will intensify the protest if the management is not agreeable to meet our demands," he warned.

Corportion councillor Revati alleged, that NIT-K has been releasing polluted waste water outside its campus without treating it, polluting wells of Padre and Munchoor villages. Protestors also said that the institution is giving canteen, security and other shops on lease to people of their choice without calling for tenders and the local unemployed people are neglected by reappointing retired personnel. Hundreds of daily wage labourers working here since the last 20 years have not been confirmed in services, they said.

NIT-K director Sandeep Sancheti invited the protestors for talks. After a team led by Mangalore City Corporation mayor held talks with the director, the management agreed to allow free entry to people through its gates between 6 am to 6 pm, and again 6 pm to 9 am subject to scrutiny. "However, as per the union government's directives, we are compelled to tighten the security because of the perceived terror threat," Sancheti explained.

Corportion councillor Rajani Dugganna, Sumitra, farmer leader Muttanna Shetty etc participated.