Construction of Honnavar port opposed by fishermen

Karwar

There has been intense anger over the police action against fishermen who opposed the commercial port project in Honnavar. People have expressed outrage that serious cases are being registered and sent to jail against locals who questioned the actions of the authorities.

The district administration had imposed a prohibitory order in Honnavar's Kasaragod Tonka and allowed a private company, HPPL, to conduct survey work. It has been alleged that cases have been registered against local fishermen and women who came forward to question the survey work through protests.

 The Association for the Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) has condemned this, expressing dissatisfaction that the government, which should be on the side of the common people, is committing such atrocities and pushing them onto the streets.

 Previously, this land was covered by the sea and disappeared. The people there were relocated to alternative land and title deeds were given. But now the survey number of that place has been changed and the land that was previously given title deeds is shown as a river. But in the map released by the government itself earlier, the land had survey number 303, but now it has been given for private port development with survey number 305, alleged retired High Court SPP BT Venkatesh.

The land that was previously covered by the sea is now visible again. Therefore, the concerned authorities have given a separate survey number for it. Also, the names of Kasarakodu and Tonka villages are not listed in the government's Dishanka app.

The government should withdraw the case as soon as possible. We will approach the court regarding this, warned APCR Organization Secretary Hussain Kodibengre.