Bhatkal: The scarcity of sand across the taluk from past few months has brought the construction work to standstill giving rise to a number of other problems. The laborers are finding it difficult to carry on their household expenses due to the lack of work. The Bhatkal Construction Laborers Association has decided to stage a protest to bring into the attention of the state government the difficulties being faced due to the sand scarcity on 16^th of November, informed the president of association Shridhar Naik.

Speaking to a press conference at a private hotel, he said that scarcity of sand has brought the construction work to halt. The government contractors are facing the difficulty of not being able to complete any of the developmental projects on prescribed time due to lack of labor. Public representatives and the concerned department are not paying any attention to the crises, which has left them with no option but to stage a protest, he said. He further said that the protest which was being organized by their association have until then had received favors from the Civil Contractors Association, Centering Owners and Laborers Association, Auto-rickshaw Owners and Drivers Association, Majlis-e-Islah-o-Tanzeem Bhatkal, Lorry Owners and Drivers Association, Karnataka Rakhshana Vedike Swabhimani Sang Bhatkal and Painting Laborers Association. Since the sand crisis has now become a social and public problem, Shridhar naik has appealed to the public to show their immense support during the protest.

On the morning of 16^th November, all the laborers would gather at the premises of Chin Pattan Hamumanth Temple, from where the protest rally would begin and go towards the Assistant Commissioner’s office passing through the Shamshuddin Circle. The memorandum would be presented to AC, he said. Bhatkal Contractors Association president TD Naik, Karnataka Rakhshana Vedike Swabhimani Sang Bhatkal president Eshwar Naik, Painting Laborers Association president Nagraja Naik, Centering Association president Ganpathi Naik, Krishna Naik and others were present on the occasion.