Sand crisis: MLAs, MLCs to take out rally on Oct 25

Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council Kota Srinivas Poojary said the MLAs and MLCs from the district will take out a protest rally against the apathy of the district administration in handling sand crisis in Udupi on October 25.

“This is the first time since the formation of Udupi district, we are seeing such a magnitude of administrative failure,” the BJP leader told mediapersons.

Following the sand crisis in the district, the construction workers have decided to go on an indefinite strike. Poojary appealed to the police not to take action against truck drivers and owners, who had parked their vehicles on the roads as a mark of protest.

The MLC said there was no sign of administration in the district. “Although the chief minister had issued clear instructions on the issue of extraction of sand, the deputy commissioner had remained adamant and had not permitted sand miners to extract sand.”

He said as many as 27 sand blocks are located in the CRZ area.

Unfortunately, the district administration had identified only nine blocks. Two among them were rejected by the Karnataka Coastal Zone Management Authority (KSZMA). He declared that the bureaucracy was above the government and chief minister.

BJP will win all seats

Expressing confidence over BJP’s victory in the forthcoming byelections in Parliamentary and Assembly seats, Poojary said that the party was confident of sweeping all the five seats.

“The age old party Congress has invited curse on itself by joining hands with JD(S).”

He added that BJP need not worry on `Congress-free Karnataka’, as JD(S) was already doing it. He added that many issues bothering the state were left unattended as ministers were campaigning in the by-elections.

Poojary criticised JD(S) supremo Deve Gowda and the former chief minister Siddaramaiah for joining hands and addressing the press jointly.

He added that the incident highlights the complete decline of Congress.