Udupi: Former MP Jayaprakash Hegde extended his support to the protesters who are staging protest against the release of Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu.

He told reporters here that the state government should follow the Supreme Court order and it should take immediate measures to pacify the protesters, he demanded.

He said there is no progress in Akrama Sakrama scheme implementation. The state government should immediately take action to solve the obstacles in 94C and 94 CC. The price for availing benefits under 94C and 94CC has been reduced, but the government has failed to concentrate on the difficulties encountered by the lay man to avail the benefits, he charged.

He said the 9 and 11 problem is disturbing only Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts and the government should pay attention to solve the problem.

Hegde criticised the new mines policy and said it is a blunder. The state government has not paid attention to formulate separate sand policy for coastal districts. The traditional sand miners are at risk of unemployment. The upper limit for the price fixed is of no use while auctioning the sand blocks, he state and added that the people’s representatives in the coastal region should hold talks with chief minister to sort out the issue.

He said the service roads adjoining the newly laid national highway should be set right. The service road at Koteshawra should be widened to prevent accidents as it is the centre of three junctions.

He also demanded that the jurisdiction of some police stations in the district should be remarked. Areas like Hesketthuru and Kalavara come under Kandlur limits and the people have to travel long distance to register their grievances.

He said the government should consider the taluk formation assurance. Reacting to a query on handing over the district maternity and children government hospital to an NRI businessman for the construction of a super-specialty hospital, Hegde said the poor should not suffer. The deal should not support any business and profit calculations. The idea should be of offering quality health care facilities to poor, he said.