Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Dec 6: In an incident that occurred in Udyavar village near here on Sunday December 5, those who had blocked movement of a truck carrying fish, taking umbrage at sprinkling of stinking water by it all over the road, were beaten up.

The locals had stopped the truck and took the driver to task, alleging that trucks loaded with fish, which visit the fish mills located in the village, pollute the climate by allowing smelly water to drain through pipes all through their journey. After coming to know about the incident, Santosh and Balaraj from one of the fish mills rushed to the spot and beat up locals, Girish and Sanjeev, the villagers said.

Both of them are being treated in the government hospital here.

The villagers have been opposing the operation of fish mills in the village, because of the fact that the mills violate pollution rules, as a result of which the village stinks. They also have formed ‘Udyavara Village Conservation Committee’ and had, under its banner, protested against the mills in the past.  In spite of the opposition of the locals, three fish mills continue to operate there.

Committee leader, Vijayakumar Udyavar, informed that a special meeting has been convened in the gram panchayat premises on Monday December 6 to take a decision on the mills which he said, have been flagrantly violating the rules.