Sirsi: A half-day-bandh call given by Forest Land Right Agitators’ Forum urging the authorities concerned to address the problems being faced by forest dwellers evoked a mixed response in the City on Saturday.

Hundreds of agitators took out a protest rally in the City and made a futile bid to lay siege to Mini Vidhana Soudha. The protesters who gathered at the old bus stand circle here appealed to the people to support the bandh. They expressed their ire by burning a tyre.

The businessmen at Bidakibail, Konanabidki and the surrounding areas extended their support by voluntarily downing the shutters of their establishments. The proprietors of the business establishments responded positively to the call by downing the shutters while the protest rally was passing through C P Bazar, Nataraj Road, Devikere and Hosapete Road. But, they opened their establishments after a while.

The agitators who planned to picket the Forest Department office decided to go to the Mini Vidhana Soudha after learning that the deputy commissioner was holding a meeting there. Forest Land Right Agitators’ Forum President Raveenda Naik said an attempt to provide justice to the forest dwellers is not going in the right direction. We will strongly oppose the attempt to evict the encroachers based on the GPS survey, he told.

Deputy Commissioner Prabhulinga Kavalakatti assured that Social Welfare Department officials will be directed to receive an appeal for the improper GPS survey in a week and steps will be taken to prevent harassment by the forest staff.