Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (DV)

Mangalore, Jun 10: Chaos erupted at Mangalore City Corporation here on Tuesday June 10 after residents of Kandak barged into the building protesting against the proposed ice plant in their area.

It is said that on May 22, the residents of Kandak had submitted a memorandum to the mayor opposing the setting up of an ice plant in the area. However, despite their appeal, on Tuesday, town planning officer (TPO) Balakrishna Gowda and additional TPO Shivaraj visited the spot for inspection.

The residents, seeing the two officers, gathered at the spot and demanded to see documents. When the officials said they possessed all the documents and that the project has got licence, they demanded to see the licence but the officials could not produce it. Angered by this, the locals gheraoed the officials.

The protestors contended that when do not even get sufficient drinking water, an ice plant at the spot would put them in further difficulty.

ATPO Shivaraj threatened to complain to the police, and a while later, Pandeshwar police arrived at the spot along with MCC commissioner Ajith Hegde and mayor Mahabala Maarla. The MCC commissioner spoke to the protestors and asked them to meet him at the MCC office and discuss the issue.

Accordingly, Kandak residents came to the MCC office but found that the commissioner was busy in another meeting. They grew angry at this and started to protest. The MCC commissioner then met them and asked them to give a written complaint.

Meanwhile, the ATPO alleged that the residents of Kandak were being provoked by corporator Azeez Kudroli and that it was all planned by him.

Finally, the situation returned to normalcy after the MCC commissioner accepted complaints from both sides, Kandak residents and the ATPO.