KOZHIKODE: A hartal was observed at Kallachi, near Nadapuram, on Monday by the LDF and Janakeeya Munnani in protest against the dumping of sewage sewage waste in the public drainage. The waste was allegedly brought in a tanker from the Bake Land bakery and restaurant at Kallachi and dumped in the drainage on Kallachi-Vaniyur road in the wee hours of Sunday.
As foul smell emanated from the area, the local people traced the waste and a few put soil in the drainage to cover the waste. But some others objected to it leading to a scuffle. Later, the police and the Nadapuram grama panchayat officials intervened and removed the waste. The officials said the expense for the work would be charged from the bakery owner.
The hartal supporters and the merchants at Nadapuram had a tiff after the former tried to shut down the shops at Nadapuram, 2.5 km off Kallachi. "The merchants said it was a local issue and that the hartal should be confined to Kallachi," said Kurumbiyath Kunjambdulla, merchant leader at Nadapuram.
Nadapuram police registered a case against the bakery owner. But panchayat president M.K. Safeera alleged that the police had slapped only minor charges enabling him to get bail.
