Sand Problem will be sorted out by Sept 20 – MLA Raghupathi Bhat
Udupi: The district’s major sand problem will be sorted out as the district administration has been working on offering three units of sand at Rs 5,500 said Udupi MLA Raghupathi Bhat.
He was speaking to media persons at the District BJP office on Thursday, September 5. Raghupathi Bhat said that the district administration has contacted the sand extractors in CRZ (coastal regulation zonal) area and they have agreed to the price fixed by the district administration. The price is affordable and people can now heave a sigh of relief, he claimed.
Bhat said that the BJP government is concerned about the sand crisis in the district and has taken steps to resolve it. “Official apathy and inaction by the coalition government had ensured that sand was not within the reach of the common man,” he alleged.
“Sand extraction will begin in the CRZ areas from September 15. By September 20, sand will be available at an affordable price to the consumers. About 171 licence holders will extract sand in Udupi district and 8.7 lakh metric tonnes of sand will be available in CRZ areas,” he said.
On the restrictions against sand extraction activity in eco-sensitive zones in Kundapur and Byndoor taluks, Bhat said that the state government has written to the Centre seeking permission for sand extraction in these areas.
Elaborating over the approval of the permits to extract sand, Bhat said that the Karnataka State Coastal Zone Management Authority has granted the licence to 171 applicants, who were permitted to extract sand until February 2020. “Around two lakh metric tonnes of sand is available in the CRZ area,” he stated.
Bhat, responding to deputy commissioner’s orders on ending sand mining in some areas owing to the eco-sensitivity, said that a seven-member committee was formed in the district and the licence holders had to submit affidavits to the administration that there would be no damage to the environment during the extraction of sand.
“Thus there will be no further delay in the extraction of sand and everything will be carried out legally,” he assured.