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Udupi : The eight day long agitation by the Maralu Horata Samiti on the sand extraction issue in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office here was withdrawn on Thursday, 1^st November, 2018.

The agitation has been withdrawn following talks between the protestors and Rajendra Kataria, Secretary, Department of Commerce and Industries (Mines and MSME). As per the Maralu Horata Samiti, a four hour long meeting was held at the place of agitation on the issue on Thursday. The authorities have promised to the samiti to meet its demands with regard to sand extraction in non-CRZ areas.

The state government on October 25 wrote to the Union government in regard to the problems of sand extraction and has already sought clarifications on certain aspects. The state government will waiting for directions from the Union government. It will take time to get answer from the Union government.

Rajendra Kataria had agreed to accompany a delegation of MLAs and MPs from the coastal districts to Delhi to discuss issues in relate to sand extraction in both the areas. If the agitation continues in relate to sand extraction issue, it might create other difficulties to solve the problems. Hence, Kataria requested the protestors to withdraw the protest till all the matters in related to the issue will be sorted out.

The officials discussion with the agitators, the samiti decided to postpone the protest till November 20. The samiti said that they will wait and see what kind of changes in rules would come from Union government and state government and later will decide the future course of action.

Due to postpone of the agitation, the proposed Udupi District Bandh call for November 10 has also has been withdrawn, samiti said.

Along with Rajendra Kataria, Deputy Commissioner Priyanka Mary Francis, Additional Deputy Commissioner Vidyakumari, Raghupathy Bhat MLA, Sunil Kumar MLA, Kota Srinivas Poojary MLC, Bhoje Gowda MLC and other samiti officials were present.