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Udupi : The members of Karnataka Karmika Vedike called their fast unto death agitation on Friday, 10^th February, 2017 after the promise given by Mines and Geology department official Kodandaramaya and Udupi Tahsildar Mahesh Chandra who offered orange juice to Ravi Shetty and other three officials of the Karmika Vedike.

The hunger strike against the ban on sand mining in the district went on for three days at Clock Tower near service bus stand. On the second day in the evening one and third day Sudjhakar Poojary and Arif took ill and admitted in the hospital. Some protestors sat on dharna in the middle of the road near Clock Tower and blocked the traffic. But police intervened and threatened to arrest the agitators on the road.

The agitators were demanding the DC or ADC to negotiate the agitators to solve the problem. Then the official of the mines and geology department Kodandaramaya and Udupi Tahasildar Maheshchandra negotiated the agitating leaders like Ravi Shetty, Sudhakar Nayak Chandra Poojary of KKV, Ansar Ahmed of KRV.

The protestors demanded that the district administration should stop the practice of intercepting lorries transporting sand and quarry stones and imposing heavy to heavy fines on them which not the cost of their vehicles.

As per the negotiable with the leaders, the officials of Mines and Geology department Kodandaramaya assured that their most of the demands would be looked into, but agitators demanded a written assurance which the officials refused to give. The official said that the verdict from the court yet to receive and after the judgment of the court actions will be taken. Ravi Shetty explained their problems of daily wage workers and so on. Later the officials gave written assurance on their demands and later agitation was called off.

Ravi Shetty President of Karnataka Karmika Vedike told to media that if the district administration failed to fulfill their demands, the Vedike members will gherao the mines and geology department office and severe agitation will be taken.