Date:21/12/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/12/21/stories/2005122106510300.htm

Karnataka - Belgaum

Kannada activists protest against roadwork

Staff Correspondent

Belgaum: A group of activists belonging to Kannada organisations staged a protest in front of Keerti Hotel and forced-stop road construction work between Sangoli Rayanna Circle (known as RTO Circle) to Central Bus Stand Circle alleging poor quality and corruption here on Tuesday. They said the district administration has allotted the road repair works estimated at Rs. 11 crores to Karnataka Land Army Corporation under the flood relief programme. But the quality of repairs being done was far below standard. Some members expressed corruption in lakhs of rupees.

The activists forced the Land Army engineers to produce documents pertaining to estimates and technical details for verification on the spot. The Land Army officials said they will improve the quality of work. But grapevine is making the rounds in the city that a rival lobby is interested in getting the contract for road repair work.