Udupi: The Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU) Udupi district staged a protest on Wednesday outside the Deputy Commissioner’s Office, Manipal, condemning the acute shortage of laterite stone and sand in the district.
Protesters, who marched in a rally from Manipal Tiger Circle to the DC office, submitted a memorandum highlighting the crisis faced by ordinary citizens who are unable to construct houses due to the shortage and rising prices.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Abid Gadyal received the memorandum and assured protestors that a joint meeting under the Deputy Commissioner’s leadership would be convened on August 30 to address the issue.
Speaking at the protest, Balakrishna Shetty, CITU state vice president, said,
“Not only should laterite stone and sand be made available, but the stones must also be supplied at the same rates as six months ago. On the Kerala model, royalty should be fixed at ₹76 per ton, and all other taxes must be withdrawn.”
Echoing this, CITU district president Suresh Kallagar stated that the scarcity had rendered many poor families and daily wage workers jobless. He alleged that stringent measures by the mining department had aggravated the crisis. “Our sole demand in the August 30 meeting will be the immediate availability of laterite stones,” he stressed.
The protest saw active participation from CITU leaders, members, and workers from across the district.