Karwar: The Uttara Kannada district administration on Sunday cleared illegal 17 huts and sheds erected by the fishermen on Karwar beach.

The eviction drive started early in the morning behind the polytechnic college off National Highway 66. The authorities cleared all the huts and removed sheds built for drying fish with the help of bulldozers in spite of stiff resistance from fishermen.

 Two women tried to commit suicide in protest, Purnima poured kerosene on herself and Kusuma, tried to jump into the sea but were saved by the community members.

It is learnt , two years ago, the then deputy commissioner, who aggressively pursued the issue had cleared 100 huts built illegally on the beach. But he was transferred thereafter, fishermen again started erecting huts on the beach. 

The authorities said they cleared the encroachments to facilitate development works planned to make the beach a tourist spot at a cost of Rs 40 crore. "These encroachments would have hampered the works. Moreover, there is a Supreme Court direction to clear encroachment on government land,'' said a Karwar city municipal council officer.

However, fishermen alleged that they were not given any time by the authorities to shift their belongings. "The authorities have agreed to our request to give time till the end of the monsoon. But suddenly, on Sunday morning they came and demolished our huts,'' said a fisherman and added that most of the fishermen have migrated here in search of jobs two decades ago from Honnavar, Kumta and other places and have no other houses in town.