by Violet Pereira, Pics by JP, Team Mangalorean
Mangaluru: Youth JD(S) held a press meet at Hotel Woodlands here on March 15.
Addressing the mediapersons district president Youth JD(S) Akshith Suvarna said that the district administration has banned sand extraction on January 16. From the past 2 months contractors as well as daily wage labourers are suffering due to the ban on sand extraction. The district administration has not taken any steps to provide sand. From January 16 sand is not available for the people of DK who want to build houses.
He further said that some people have taken bank loan to build their houses, but unavailability of sand has put them in trouble, without the sand they cannot continue their work. But sand is being transported to other regions of the state and sold for Rs 10,000 to 15,000 per load. If there is a ban on sand extraction how is the sand still been transported to other regions of the state? What is the district administration doing? When the people of DK are in dire need of sand to complete the construction work of their houses what is the District administration doing? We need answer from the deputy commissioner, he said.
If the ban for extracting sand will not be lifted within 15 days we will stage a protest in front of the DC office, he warned.
Coming down heavily on the District minister in-charge, Akshith said that a number of trees have been cut down in the city. In Valencia area a number of trees have been felled and now the forest department is cutting down trees in the Kadri Park to construct a musical fountain. Why do they want a musical fountain in the Kadri Park by cutting down the trees?
Akshith further said that if the government will not stop cutting down the trees, in future with low oxygen level in the atmosphere we may have to carry oxygen cylinders from the oxygen mafia when we go out, he opined.
When asked about the Yettinahole project, Akshith said that they have already discussed the issue with Kumaraswamy, JD(S) opposes the Yettinahole project. Whoever fights against the Yettinahole project, we will support them, he said.
Muneer Mukkacheri, Srinath Rai, Aziz Kudroli, Ram Ganesh, Ratnakar Suvarna, WaheedKhan and others were also present.