NILGIRIS: Demanding the district administration allow tourists to travel to Udhagamandalam via Kalhatty Ghat Road and Masinagudi, over 150 shops, including hotels and medical stores, were shut in protest in and around Masinagudi on Friday.
Supporting the protest, agricultural labourers stayed away from work, while auto-rickshaw and call taxi services came to a halt. Over 150 tourist jeep operators also remained off the roads, urging the authorities to allow them to continue their operations.
The protesters said that after their earlier agitation, during which residents decided to hand over their Aadhaar cards to the district administration, vehicles registered in Kerala and Karnataka were permitted to use the Kalhatty Ghat Road via Masinagudi to reach Udhagamandalam about two weeks ago. Prior to that, only vehicles registered in the Nilgiris district were allowed to use the road.
Shopkeepers said their businesses had been severely affected following restrictions on vehicles using the Kalhatty Ghat Road.
A Nazir, president of the Masinagudi Samathuva Viyabarikal Sangam, said, "During Friday's protest, members of all political parties, along with the public, hotel owners, farmers, tourist vehicle owners and operators, decided not to send their children to school for five days from July 18. We are also planning a similar protest on July 22, demanding that the authorities allow tourist vehicles registered in other districts and states to use the Kalhatty Ghat Road to protect our livelihood."
"We have received information that the Kalhatty Road will soon be closed again for vehicles registered in other districts and states. We have also been informed that tourist jeep operators taking visitors for sightseeing along the Moyar Road and Bokkapuram route will be stopped. The Friday's protest was held condemning these moves," he alleged.
The protest was also directed against the forest department, as officials have reportedly been instructing farmers not to install solar fencing around their agricultural lands. "We are unable to carry out farming due to frequent wild animal movement. This is an attempt to restrict our livelihood," said a farmer.
