Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Dec 6: Founder president of Tulunada Rakshana Vedike (TRV), Yogeesh Shetty Jeppu, demanded to stop construction of unscientific railway track near Goods Shed here and to avoid environmental pollution.

He was addressing a protest meeting organized at 3 pm on Tuesday near the railway gate at Goods Shed, Hoige Bazaar. He noted that people of Goods Shed Road and Rosario church compound have been living here peacefully since long and the area is surrounded by a number of educational institutions and religious centres. There are homes for the aged in the locality, he stated.

"The mental peace of these residents has been marred by the goods trains which visit this area every day unlike in the past when their visits were far between. These trains most of the times arrive at midnight and their engines are kept on during their stay for several years till morning, as a result of which they release thick smoke. Because of sound pollution, peaceful sleep has become elusive for them. These disturbances also distract children who have to study hard at night, and meddle with the health of senior citizens. Although these problems had been taken up with the concerned, there has been no suitable response. Although the officials keep saying that the goods shed would be shifted to Someshwar, nothing of this sort has been done so far," he lamented.

He said that as per the work of laying new railway track, the trains will arrive still nearer to residential localities. Walls of the houses might develop cracks and lives of people may face danger. As work on drains located near the tracks is not possible, he said he foresees water flowing directly on the road. "Because of cement dust flying from train, food items and other things inside houses get covered with dust but people are consuming these things. The tracks can be laid on the other side of goods office," he argued. Jeppu urged the district administration, railways and other officials to act on these demnds failing which he warned of launching strong fight.

Local corporator, Abdul Latif Kandak, chief priest of Rosario Cathedral, FrJ B Crasta, Gilbert D'Silva, Francis D'souza, Dinakar Shetty and Gurudath Senoy spoke on the occasion. A memorandum prepared on the occasion was received by railway area officer, Norbert, who promised to take up the issues with higher officials.