Karwar: Members of Karwar Taluk Registered Contractors’ Association took out a semi-nude protest rally in Karwar on Tuesday urging fulfilment of various demands including eradication of corruption.

They also displayed ‘Save contractor’ placards by standing in Rabindranath Tagore beach and raised slogans. Later, they submitted a memorandum to the government through the district administration.

Association President Madhav Nayak said that contractors who bag the work orders through tenders find it difficult to repay the loans they avail to take up the works. They have to give bribes to the officers of Finance Department to get the funds released for the work done.

He also said that the government has increased the Earnest Money Deposit in an unscientific way. This must be brought down and the previous rates must be charged. License to transport construction materials like mud, sand, stones, jelly stones, M sand and others must be given without delay. Along with it, quarries needed to supply these materials must be identified. Various departments must clear the dues they owe to contractors on time. A separate rate chart must be prepared for Malnad and coastal areas. The vacant posts of engineers must be filled at the earliest.

The Association opposed bringing changes to the Act through which the government aims to carry out works below Rs 2 crore directly through the KRIDL and not by calling tenders. Association office-bearers Santosh Sail, Anilkumar Malsekar, Sumit Asnotikar and others were present.