The Hindu : Karnataka News : Konkan Railway blasts damage houses

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Tuesday, Dec 14, 2010
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Konkan Railway blasts damage houses

Correspondent

The local people allege guidelines have not been followed

Negotiations between the people and the KRCL failed
A school and some houses have been badly damaged

Karwar: People of Jaddigadda village in Karwar taluk on Monday took out a procession demanding that the Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL) should immediately stop blasting the hill in the village. They demanded that the KRCL should pay compensation to the people whose houses were damaged during the blasts. The protesters submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner.

After the Matysagandha Express train met with an accident last month at Jaddigadda during a land slide, the KRCL authorities cleared the boulders by using controlled blast technique. The blast damaged houses in the vicinity and the work was stopped after local people opposed it. A school and some houses were badly damaged during the blasts. The negotiations involving the KRCL, contractors and the local people failed.On Monday, the local people protested alleging that the blasting work was not done properly. It was not done according to the guidelines issued by the KRCL.

The contractors had not informed the people of the village in advance about the blasting. Unless the KRCL provides the compensation to the owners of the damaged houses they would not allow blasts in the area. They submitted a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner B.N. Krishnaiah, who assured them that action would be taken.Gram panchayat members Ullas and Ganapati Mangre participated in the protest.

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