Karnataka - Bellary   

Protesters stone two buses

Troubleshooting: Officials listening to the people of Kakka Bevinahalli village, who had blocked National Highway 63 in protest against the poor condition of the road, in Bellary on Sunday.

BELLARY: Two buses were stoned by residents of Kakka Bevinahalli near Bellary city here on Sunday, after a North Eastern Karnataka Road Transport Corporation bus ran over a six-year-old. They also blocked National Highway 63, which passes through the village, in protest against the rash and negligent driving of drivers of heavy vehicles, especially those transporting iron-ore. They also protested against the poor condition of the highway.

As a result, the movement of vehicular traffic came to a standstill for over four hours. The village residents, however, were in no mood to listen to the officials, who had come to the spot requesting them to withdraw their protest. Incidentally, two more persons were killed in two separate accidents that occurred in neighbouring villages on the same road recently. Manjunath, a youth, told the officials that despite several memoranda submitted to the Deputy Commissioner urging repair of the road, no action had been taken.

When he said that the agitation would continue until the Deputy Commissioner came to the spot to realise their plight, the protesters endorsed his views and squatted on the road.

“We are finding it very difficult to live in the villages owing to large-scale dust and pollution, which has not only affected our health but also our crop in our fields. During nights, we are unable to move about owing to the continuous movement of lorries carrying iron-ore,” he said. The movement of lorries carrying iron-ore is banned between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. in the city.

The residents, however, agreed to withdraw their protest after being told that a meeting of officials such as the Regional Transport Officer, those in the National Highways, Police, Environment and Pollution Control Board and Revenue departments had been convened on Monday by the Deputy Commissioner, to discuss traffic problems.

The officials also said that tenders for relaying the road had been called for and work would commence soon. Compensation of Rs. 15,000 was paid to the parents of the deceased.

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Protesters stone two buses

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