Stir against ban on entry into Mandalpatti

Opposing the ban on entry of tourists into Mandalpatti, tourist jeep drivers staged a protest on the Mandalpatti Road on Thursday.

The drivers also urged the district administration to lift the ban.

The protesters claimed that the landslides at Hebbettageri and Devasthuru have been minor and opined that banning the movement of tourists and tourist vehicles for a month long was not correct.

“The livelihood of more than 200 tourist jeep owners and drivers depends on the rent earned from tourist activities and more number of tourists come to Mandalpatti during monsoon,” they insisted.

The protesters also submitted a memorandum to Superintendent of Police Dr Suman D Pennekar, who arrived at the protest venue.

The tourist jeep drivers said that the district administration will be appealed to, to take measures to improve roads on the Hebbettageri-Devasturu-Kaluru stretch in the limits of Galibeedu Gram Panchayat.