KRV to stage protest against ban on Sand extraction
Mangaluru: The district administration did not impose any ban on sand extraction, even the court did not issue any circular to ban sand extraction in the district, who then has stopped sand extraction? questioned the president of Karnataka Rakshana Anil Das in a press meet held at Hotel Woodlands here on September 24.
Anil Das further said, “In the district people are facing a severe shortage of sand to construct houses. The construction work has stopped, people who are depending on daily wages for a living are facing problems because of unemployment due to the unavailability of sand. At the same time, some of the powerful people are transporting sand illegally to other districts and selling for a much higher price. The district administration had put a ban on sand extraction for two months from June 16 to August 15, 2016, because of fish breeding and the rainy season. But even after more than one month, the mines and Geology department have not given permission to extract the sand. Why the discrimination in this regard. Earlier in DK there were only 40 permits but now there are 400 people who have permits to extract sand. Whoever wants sand they extract it, there is no ban for them. Only the legal permit holders are deprived of extracting sand. In this regard, the District minister in-charge must intervene and do justice with us”.
There are a number of associations but all are not raising their voice against the ban on sand extraction. A company called M-sand is advertising their product and we suspect that the District administration has joined hands with the M-sand company. People should not buy sand from that company. We will stage a protest on September 27 in front of the DC office.
The president of civil contractors Association Purushotham Kottari said that there is a sand mining lobby. Whoever extracts sand should be punished. In Mangaluru construction work has stopped and people are facing problems without sand. If the district administration will not allow us to extract sand we will join with Karnataka Rakshana Vedike and stage a protest.
Former president of Consulting Civil Engineers association Vijay Vishnu Mayya said, “The biggest mistake is the handing over of the Non CRZ to PWD. They do not have any measures to carry out the work. We need to get the sand at a reasonable rate. Nowadays there is a fluctuation in price. The sand which is going out of the district should be stopped and provided to the people of DK. We are ready to take part in any protest if we will not get sand”.
President of Consulting Civil Engineers association Vinayak Pai, Madhusudan Gowda and Sunil were also present.
