Udupi: At the preliminary meeting organized by Rashtriya Heddari Jagriti Samiti at Shivakripa Kalyana Mantap, Sasthan on Monday December 3, it was decided to register protest against the collection of toll charges at Sasthan toll plaza from local vehicles, and also in support of demand to execute all works connected with the national highway properly.

This information was provided by Samiti president, Pratap Shetty. He said that people of villages like Mabukala, Airody, Pandeshwar, Yadabettu, Sasthan, Kody Kanyana, Gundmi, Saligrama, Chitrapadi, Kota Murukai, Kotathattu Kota, Manooru and others have wholeheartedly expressed solidarity with the Samiti’s decision on bandh.

“Our main demand is to waive toll charges in respect of vehicles from places located within a radius of 20 km from the toll plaza. We will hold a huge protest meeting near the toll plaza from 10 am that day in which even people’s representatives would be participating. The bandh will be on till 4 pm on December 7,” he explained.

Legal adviser of the Samiti, Shyam Sundar Nairy, advised people against acquiring passes at the toll plaza. He warned that once the passes are bought, the concerned will be compelled to acquire passes every time till 30 years, and during this period, the enhancement in charges will also have to be paid for three decades,” he warned.

Rajesh Kaveri, president of Udupi District Lorry Owners Association, Vittal Poojary, Allwyn Andrade, Thimma Poojary, Dennis, Sripathi Adhikari, Nagaraja Ganiga Saligrama, and Prashant Shetty Sasthan spoke at the meeting.

Local leaders, Govind Poojary, Moses Rodrigues, Shayla D’Souza, Karkada Raju Poojary, Shambhu Poojary, Ratna J Raj and Rev David Crasta were present.