Seeking bifurcation of Hubballi Dharwad Municipal Corporation to carve out a municipal corporation for Dharwad, a 15-day relay protest in which various organisations will be participating, was launched in Dharwad on Tuesday.
The protest is being held under the aegis of the Dharwad Exclusive Corporation Agitation Committee. And, scores of organisations and associations from Dharwad have extended their support to the agitation.
On Tuesday, the committee members accompanied by various others began the sit-in in front of the office of the municipal corporation in Dharwad and said that grave injustice has been meted out to Dharwad.
Addressing the protestors, convenor of the committee Manoj Patil said that despite Dharwad being a district headquarters, it has been handed out step-motherly treatment. While a major chunk of developmental activities are being taken up in Hubballi, Dharwad is getting a raw deal every time, he added.
Dharwad being an educational hub housed two universities apart from the IIIT and the IIT-Dh. Many industries are also operating in the Belur Industrial Estate and the city required more funds for infrastructure development, which, at present, are not being sanctioned, he said.
Mr. Patil said that the creation of a municipal corporation for Dharwad will help ensure the overall development of the city and surrounding areas. He pointed out that the agitation committee is apolitical and its sole objective is the development of Dharwad.
Senior counsel Prakash Udakeri and P.H. Neeralakeri said that Dharwad has been neglected by the elected representatives and also bureaucrats and consequently, several wards have not seen the required development.
Venkatesh Machaknoor, Ravindra Akalwadi, Lingaraj Sardesai, Vitthal Kammar and others took part in the agitation.
To mount pressure on the government, the agitation committee will be involving more stakeholders, including members of the Bar Association, doctors, artistes, writers and academics. They will participate in the sit-in for the next 14 days.
