MANGALURU | Dec 13, 2016: People's representatives have demanded that the district should be given relaxation from certain conditions laid down by the government.
As per the conditions, sand mining is not allowed using machines in the Coastal Regulation Zones. Sand should be extracted from river beds without using machines and use of mechanized boats also have been banned. Further, it makes CCTV surveillance mandatory to check illegal transportation of sand to other states. The government is mulling over separate sand policy for coastal region.
At a Karnataka Development Programme review meet, MLA J R Lobo and MLC Ivan D'Souza said that regulations should be relaxed in the Dakshina Kannada district to make sand available to meet the local construction demands. Ivan said that construction activities have been affected in Dakshina Kannada district due to shortage of sand.
Deputy commissioner K G Jagadeesha said licence have been issued to carry out sand extraction to 425 contractors. "Permission to extract sand has been given with 37 conditions of the ministry of environment and forest (MoEF). It is observed that the licence holders are seen violating the conditions. The district administration cannot relax the conditions stipulated by the MoEF for sand mining in the district," the DC clarified.
He said a total of 1 lakh cubic metre of sand is stored for distribution, but only 9,000 cubic metre have been procured by the people. "In non-CRZ areas, while tenders were given in 19 sand blocks, 30 more blocks have been identified. Tenders for the remaining blocks will be invited soon. Sand extractors are not participating in the tender process and instead engage themselves in illegal sand mining and supply. We have invited tender thrice for sand extraction at Addoor, but none of the extractors came forward to take part," the DC said.
Minister for forest, environment and ecology B Ramanath Rai said the government is mulling introducing a separate sand policy for coastal districts. He said the cabinet sub-committee will meet and discuss the issue and find a solution.
(Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)