Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (NR)
Pic: Prajwal Ukkuda  

Mangalore, Mar 25: Members of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) launched a protest in front of the deputy commissioner's office in the city on Monday March 24.  

The Vedike members were protesting against the alleged encroachment of Mandekolu Reserve Forest, Mandekol near the state border in Sullia taluk by the Kerala forest department.  

This encroachment and confiscation of land belonging to the state by Kerala government is now slowly becoming a   major cause of dispute between the two states.  

In fact, according to the Siddalingiah committee headed by Siddalingaiah, chairperson of the Kannada Development Authority (KDA), the committee's  findings after due inspection of the Mandekol area in Sullia clearly indicate a few glaring aspects, most important being that there is scope on part of the state government for re-surveying the inter-state boundary at the Mandekol reserve forest areas, as also steps to be taken to re-claim some portions of the land.  

Therefore on this side of the border members of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike in the city ired by the encroachments were demanding a probe into the matter.