Udupi : The district administration has no role to play in relation to the toll collection and is required to provide protection to Navyuga construction company of NH 66 said Deputy Commissioner T Venkatesh on Tuesday, February 14 clarifying the district administration’s stance in the issue in view of the escalating protests in the area on the issue.
Convening a meeting with media persons at the DC office, Rajathadhri Manipal, Venkatesh said that as per a memorandum received from Navyuga Company that the state government have an agreement which states that in case the company faces any problem while collecting toll it would be duty of the district administration to provide police protection, otherwise they are liable to face court case.
During his clarification, he said that Kota Srinivas Poojary MLC gave memorandum on the toll collection issue on 28th January. In relation to the toll collection at Hejmady and Sasthan he said that various organizations have been protesting against the toll collection since January 28 as the work on National Highway is yet to be completed. The district administration had written letters to contractors, project officials.
On 30th January DC T Venkatesh participated in a meeting with the chief minister in this regard. On February 3, MP Shobha Karandleje wrote a letter to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari. Later a meeting was held along with Pramod Madhwaraj in regard to the toll collection and various points were discussed. On February 9, the secretary in relation to PWD gave the go-ahead for toll collection from midnight of February 9.
Further he said that the district administration has no order to cancel the toll collection and is supposed to provide police protection if any problems occurs during the same. The reduction of toll or full collection will depend on them, and not on district administration.
Navyuga company will not collect the toll fee from vehicles bearing KA 20 registration till February 25.
As the protest has been escalating against the collection of the toll, Chief Secretary of the state will be conveying a meeting with the NHAI and other concerned and discuss the issue. The district in-charge minister has conveyed the message of the chief secretary to hold a meeting to the district administration.
On other issues he said that the state government has announced Udupi district as a drought hit due to lack of sufficient rainfall. The government has sanctioned Rs. 2 crore as relief fund. Meanwhile the state government has banned digging of borewell in all the 30 drought hit districts. Now it has given special consideration to Udupi and D.K. districts. The administration is distributing drinking water with the help of tankers, he said.
