The Hindu

• Residents of Ulepady oppose the relocation proposal 

Mangalore, Aug 8: The Koraga families, who are facing a threat from granite quarries in Ulepady village, have been offered a new housing site and new concrete houses by the owner of Diggers (India), Jayraj Shetty.

Addressing presspersons here on Thursday Mr. Shetty expressed solidarity with the Koraga tribal people, who live in the vicinity of his quarry.

“We will build the best houses at prime locations for the Koragas.

The place they are residing now is landlocked. The site that we will rehabilitate them at will have better connectivity,” he said. He denied allegations that his henchmen were threatening the Koragas. On the police case filed against his company by Sanjeeva, a Koraga youth, Mr. Shetty claimed that the youth had been instigated by vested interests. He denied the charges levelled by the Koragas that Sanjeeva had gone into hiding, fearing retribution from him.

Speaking to The Hindu from Ulepady, the Koragas said they were against the rehabilitation proposal of Mr. Shetty. On the condition of anonymity, a Koraga woman said the tribe had sentimental and religious reasons for opposing it.

State secretary of the Dalit Sangharsh Samiti (Ambedkar vada) Mavalli Shankar to The Hindu from Bangalore that he was against any move to shift the Koragas. “Leaders of the samiti at Mangalore have been asked not to side with the miners and displace the people at Ulepady,” he said.

Contrary to the claims made by advocate Dinesh Hegde Ulepady, Mr. Shetty said that his company had the licences and permits to carry out the blasts at the site. Furnishing photocopies of the documents in support of his claim that the company was not into illegal mining, he said that the documents produced by Mr. Ulepady were fake.

The copy of the “fake document” referred to by Mr. Shetty, a letter dated July 2, 2008 from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation, reads: “No licences or permits have been granted by this office to the under mentioned (Jayaraj Shetty) person for conducting blasting operations at survey number 65/5A and 118/1B3 of Ulepdy village.”

Mr. Shetty produced a letter from the same Ministry dated July 28, 2008 that states: “…use of explosives might be undertaken at 65/5A and 118/1B3 of Ulepady village.” He alleged that Mr. Ulepady was trying to “blackmail” him.