TOA intensifies stir on sand shortage; vehicles prevented from moving to DC office,

Udupi: The Tipper Owners Association’s (TOA) indefinite stir in different taluks of the district against the failure of the district administration to solve the issue of sand shortage has entered the fifth day now.

On Saturday, the tipper owners had warned that they will escalate their agitation by holding protest in front of the office of the deputy commissioner (DC). Accordingly they decided to hold the agitation at DC office on Monday, October 22 and to move the vehicles on Sunday night.

However, as the many tippers which were earlier parked outside the highway at places like Kundapur, Koteshwar, Kota, Hebri, Hemmady, Belman and other places reached Brahmavar, the police intercepted them and asked them to stop moving the vehicles towards Udupi. The police have also placed barricades in Udupi to stop the vehicles from moving towards DC office.  As a result, most of the tippers are now in Brahmavar.

On Sunday, the District in-charge minister Dr Jayamala had met the agitators who asked the minister to transfer DC Priyanka Mary Francis for not addressing the sand issue. However the minister told them that she could not take any decision in this matter.

According to latest reports, the tippers have been stopped at different parts of the district, mainly Kundapur, Katpadi, Byndoor and Brahmavar.