Mangalore: All-college bandh on Feb 22 against Yettinahole project

Pics: Meryick D'Silva
With Inputs from Shreyas H S
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (MD)

Mangalore, Feb 12: Students of various colleges in the city will boycott classes and stage a protest march on February 22, to express solidarity with those opposing the proposed Yettinahole project.

The decision was taken at the meeting convened by college presidents of different units. Most of the colleges on February 22 are likely to remain closed, with students walking the streets demanding to drop the project.

Addressing a press meet here on Wednesday February 12, Suratkal block Congress president Vijay Kumar Shetty said, "We are facing shortage of supporters, we need every person to join hands with us and fight for this cause. So far we were protesting in peace, but now we will start a huge movement regarding this issue.

"Four MLAs from Dakshina Kannada are supporting us and they had joined us in a protest held in Bangalore last month. Due to less number of supporters we are organising a protest and calling for an all-college bandh on Saturday, February 22 at 10 am from Jyothi circle to DC office. Further action will be taken through legal means," he said.

"We had trusted our government, but in the cabinet meeting they did consider the Yettinahole project," he said.

The protest has been organized to convey a strong message to the state government on youth rising against the project prior to the foundation stone laying ceremony. However, it is said that the state government is planning to lay foundation stone at Chikballapur on February 25.

Students from different colleges will stage a protest march till DC office and submit a memorandum demanding state government to withdraw the project.

All College Student Union president Rakshith K Poojary said that the students who are staying in the hostels are already facing shortage of water.

Speaking to daijiworld, Rakshith K Poojary said that the protest would witness as many as 3,000 students descending on the streets. This could be a one of the biggest protests by youths to protect the lifeline of the district, he said.

The protest is being supported by Karavali Jeevanadi Netravati Samrakshana Samiti. 

M G Hegde, Denis D'Silva, Shashiraj Hegde, Sahaj Rai, Chandravarma Jain, Tejasvi Naik and others were present.