Kasargod collector Jeevan Babu puts off hearing over protests

KASARGOD: The district collector Jeevan Babu suspended the public hearing advised by the High Court in Kadaladippara here on Saturday after local protests and he and pollution control board officials went back.  The High Court had directed the hearing after residents resisted bauxite mining by a Mumbai firm. The people’ protest committee consisting of activists from various political parties had gathered in Kadaladippara from 6 am raising slogans asking the officials to go back, despite a massive police deployment.

When collector and other officials reached the spot, they repeated the demands to stop the procedures saying the entry of the mining firm would upset the ecological balance. Even after the collector and the officials left, they stayed back to ensure that they did not return. Thousands of people including women had  gathered.