Ankola: The Karnataka Taxi Drivers Organization staged a protest in Ankola, demanding the tracing of the missing lorry driver and other missing persons be sped up. They submitted a memorandum to the Uttara Kannada Deputy Commissioner through the Kumta Assistant Commissioner, presenting six demands.

It should be recalled that in Shirur of Ankola taluk, a landslide occurred on July 16, where 12 people were believed to have lost their lives. Three people and a lorry are still missing from the debris.

Members of the Karnataka Taxi Drivers Organization who gathered at the landslide site demanded an expedited search for the missing lorry driver Arjun and two others.

The memorandum further demanded that the district administration or the NH four-lane contractor company IRB provide basic facilities like food, medicine, and toilets, as well as clean water for bathing through tankers to the drivers and staff of trucks, containers, etc., who have been stuck for the past week on both sides of the National Highway near the landslide site.

Additionally, they demanded the removal of debris from one side of the highway to clear the road for the motor vehicles that have been stopped at this location for the last seven days, ensuring traffic movement can resume. They also insisted that drivers and staff of motor vehicles should not be abused by the police or officers of any department.

The memorandum also demanded that until the National Highway is completely cleared and the movement of motor vehicles is fully restored, the toll plaza in this area should remain closed.

Representatives of Karnataka taxi drivers from various places across the district participated in the protest. The District President of the Karnataka Taxi Drivers Organization, Parveen, addressed the representatives gathered there.

Kumta AC Kalyani Kamble accepted the memorandum.