Sand miners' union stage rasta roko

KARWAR: The members of thesand minersand transporters' union of Karwar staged a Rasta Roko at Majali checkposton theKarnataka-Goa borderon Friday demanding permission to transport sand from the Kali river to Goa.

Inter-state sand transportation was banned two years ago by the government after an unsuccessful attempt to export sand from Karwar port. Since then, the Union members have been demanding permission to take the sand to neighbouring Goa.

On Friday, about 50 members of the union blocked the road at Majali check-post and blocked NH-17, for more than three hours. Those caught in the traffic blamed the administration for allowing the union members to block the road. This is the second such road block by the union members in one year.

The union members had declared that they would defy the ban by the government and forcibly take the sand-laden lorries to Goa. During the last agitation, the union members had defied police and taken the lorries to Goa. But this time, police acted swiftly and blocked all the lorries at Kali bank.

Enraged, the agitators shouted slogans against the government and said their families were suffering without work. They demanded immediate lifting of the ban. When the agitators refused to vacate the highway, the DC and SP arrived on the spot and tried to convince the agitators. After about 45 minutes of discussions on the road, the DC convinced them that he will talk to the top officials of the government. The agitators agreed to wait till March 10, and warned that they would stage another rasta roko on same spot.

source: TOI