Ban on protests at Clock Tower, Jatka Stand issue dominates Udupi CMC meeting

Ban on protests at Clock Tower, Jatka Stand issue dominates Udupi CMC meeting

Udupi: The issue of the ban on protests and public meetings at the Clock Tower, Jatka Stand and Service Bus Stand located in the heart of the city dominated the general body meeting of Udupi City Municipal Council (CMC) here on Thursday, September 28.

Raising the issue, Yashpal Survana said that recently the additional DC had issued a notification that the district administration has permanently banned protests and public meetings at the Clock Tower, Jatka Stand and Service Bus Stand located in the heart of the city on the reason of Traffic jam and affecting the movement of ambulances and fire-tenders during emergencies, besides affecting the traffic flow.

Without bringing the issue to the notice of the council how did the commissioner and the administration body sent the report to the deputy commissioner? The CMC should consult with the elected representatives before sending the report. Without making any arrangements for a place for protests and other meetings how did the ADC give such orders? he questioned. The council should make a resolution in the meeting and send it to the deputy commissioner to revoke the ban order he demanded.

President Meenakshi Madhava Bannanje said that the order was issued considering the report of the SP and police department, CMC has no role in this issue. There is a separate Protest area in front of the deputy commissioner’s office provided by the former district minister in charge late Dr V S Acharya for holding protests, she said.

Ruling party member Janardhan Bhandarkar said that the order issued by the Additional DC is condemnable. Before issuing such the orders district administration should have consulted the CMC, and also should have made separate arrangement in City for holding protests. Protests are being held to make the public realise the seriousness of certian issues. If we protest only in front of the DC office it will reach only the DC and not the public. The CMC should demand the deputy commissioner to allow holding protests at the Clock Tower everyday for one hour. The ruling and the opposition party members supported the proposal by Bhandarkar and decided to send the meeting report to the deputy commissioner.

Councilor Ramesh Kanchan, Celina Karkada, Prashanth Bhat, Shyamprasad Kudwa and others said that most of the roads in Kalasnka, Ambagilu, Gundibail, Diana talkies, LVT road have been damaged due to the rains. The CMC should conduct a survey of such roads and formulate an action plan to repair them. Celina Karkada said that Roads in Kalsanka-Ambagilu ward were full of potholes and should be repaired immediately.

President Meenakshi said that I have directed the engineers to prepare the estimation of all 35 wards, once the rain stops, the roads will be repaired.

Prakala Ward Councillor Sumithra Nayak and Volakadu Ward councilor Geeta Ravi Shet said that people in various wards were complaining that there were a lot of stray dogs. The stray dog problem was high near Volakadu school area. Hence the problem there should be solved on priority as there were a lot of students in the surroundings.

The health and environment officer Raghavendra said that The CMC had taken up the programme of sterilising dogs to check their population. The Pune based company has already started the work. As per the norms, these dogs had to be left back in the places from where they were picked after the sterilization operation.

Sandhya Thilak Raj Vice president, Manjunathaiah commissioner, Dr M R Pai opposition leader also present.