MHS withdraws eight-day-long dharna on sand extraction

Udupi: Following talks between the protestors and Rajendra Kataria, Secretary, Department of Commerce and Industries (Mines and MSME), the eight-day-long dharna by the Maralu Horata Samiti on the sand extraction issue in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s Office here was withdrawn on Thursday November 1^st.  

The Samithi said that a four-hour-long meeting was held at the Deputy Commissioner’s Office on the issue on Thursday and the authorities have promised to meet its demands with regard to sand extraction in the non-Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) areas.

On October 25^th, the state government had written a letter to the union government regarding sand extraction in CRZ areas and sought clarifications on certain aspects. Hence, the State government wanted some time in the matter as it was waiting for directions from the Union government.

The samthi explained that Mr. Kataria had agreed to accompany a delegation of MLAs and MPs from the coastal districts to Delhi to discuss issues related to sand extraction. He informed the protestors that if the protests intensified, it might create other difficulties and hence urged them to withdraw the protest till all the matters related to the issue were sorted out.

The samithi discussed the situation with the protestors and then decided to postpone the protest till November 20. The samiti would wait and see what kind of changes in rules would come from the Union and State governments and then decide the future course of action. Hence, the Udupi District Bandh call given for November 10 has also been withdrawn, informed the samithi.