MADIKERI: Villagers of Tolur-Shettalli in Somwarpet taluk and the Cauvery Sene, fighting corruption in public offices, will organise a demonstration to protest against the moves to undertake granite mining in that village.

Speaking to presspersons here, convenor of the sene, Ravi Chengappa, said the Deputy Commissioner had recommended to the Department of Mines and Geology that permission for mining could be granted to the applicants.

The applicants owed allegiance to a former MLA from Arakalgud in Hassan. Mukrigudda and Toobukalbetta, the proposed mining areas, were ecologically sensitive. Mining could dry up water sources in the area, D.S. Kushalappa, a resident of the area feared.

Mr. Chengappa said that the area where the mining was being proposed was Ooruduve (a form of land tenure), but on records it was shown as coffee plantation area. Except granite deposit, nothing was found there.

Mr. Chengappa said the sene had postponed its Virajpet taluk bandh on January 30 in view of Bakrid and also a Hindu convention, to be held at Gonicoppa.

The bandh was against the drawing of the 400 kv power transmission line from Kaiga to Kerala, via Kodagu forests.

Meeting

The sene and other organisations would meet the Chief Minister, H.D. Kumaraswamy, in the second week of January to find a solution to the Jamma Bane land issue as also the power transmission line. The bandh date would be decided later.

Tolur-Shettalli villagers, D.S. Kushalappa, Hosabeedu Shashi, Mookonda Subramani and Kuttanda Vasant, sene members from Polibetta, were present.

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