Kozhikode: Campaign against night traffic ban

KOZHIKODE: The youths are planning a  campaign against the ban on night traffic in the Wayanad wildlife sanctuary and Bandipur national park. The youths under the banner   ‘Freedom to Move’ will take out a mega rally on the National Highway 766 (formerly NH 212) connecting Kollegal in Karnataka with Kozhikode in this connection on Saturday. The movement is  an offshoot of the ‘jellikkettu agitation’ in Tamil Nadu. 

The youngsters formed countless WhatsApp groups titled ‘Freedom to Move’ for coordination of their activities. More than 700 autorickshaw drivers, the most affected group with the night traffic ban, also have joined the move. Tiji Cheruthottil, convener of the movement, told DC that the bike rally was  the first phase of the campaign.  “We expect thousands of volunteers on bikes to rally  against the traffic ban,”  he said.

The rally will begin at Muthanga and end at Kalpetta. Noolppuzha village panchayat president K. Shobhankumar would flag off the rally at 12. 30 on Saturday. Sulthan Bathery MLA I.C. Balakrishnan and Kalpetta MLA C.K. Saseendran will participate in the concluding ceremony at Kalpetta in the evening.    It may be recalled that Manoj Kumar Meena, Chamaraj Nagar district collector in Karnataka, had passed the ban orders on ‘night traffic’ through NH 766 (Kollegal - Kozhikode road) and NH  67 (Gundelpett-Ooty road), both passing through the Bandipur wildlife sanctuary, on June 3, 2009.