Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Apr 15: Sources said that Ravichandra Nayak, tahsildar of Mangalore taluk, has been transferred to Bantwal taluk because of the raids conducted by him on certain laterite stone quarries being operated illegally. There has also been pressure to shift Bajpe sub-inspector, Pramod, for supporting the efforts of the tahsildar, it is gathered.

Illegal laterite stone quarries are being illegally operated in several places in villages like Badaga Yekkar, Perar and Yedapadav villages in Mangalore taluk. The administration had received several complaints about the problems created by these quarries. At the gram sabha of Yekkar village, the villagers had raised serious objections against these quarries. On the basis of these developments, the revenue department had submitted a report to the district deputy commissioner.

As per the instructions of the deputy commissioner, the tahsildar had raided these quarries, conducted spot inspection, and had initiated steps to stop illegal quarries from functioning. The quarries belong to BJP leaders, Eshwar Kateel, Gangadhar Kottary, Ramakant Shetty and Dinesh Salian, besides Congress leaders, Krishna Amin, Rafiq, Babu Shetty, Joachim Fernandes, Ramanath Shetty and Edward. These quarries had been raided by a team of officials led by the tahsildar, with the help of Bajpe sub-inspector of police, Pramod, on March 9 and April 3.

Sources claim that the BJP leaders brought pressure on the government to transfer the tahsildar for his role in the above raids. It is learnt that the state home minister and district in-charge minister are under immense pressure to transfer the Bajpe sub-inspector of police. In the place of Nayak, Bantwal tahsildar, Manjunath, has been transferred.