Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi(HB)

Udupi, Dec 8: Udupi MLA Raghupathi Bhat has demanded the state government to issue 170 permits for traditional sand mining in 15 days. “The district administration has received clarification note from Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ministry on November 29, 2018, but failed to take action. The clarification note states, ‘Karnataka government is at liberty to decide the question of removal of sand bars from the coastal rivers of the state, with strict compliance to guidelines,” said MLA Raghupathi Bhat.

Addressing the media at Udupi press club on Saturday, December 8, he said, “It is question of economic status of Udupi. So even after a month, the district deputy commissioner till date has not sent the report to the government.”

According to the letter of secretary to Government of India it is mentioned that, “historically there are no precise caste or creed or community practicing the work of sand removal manually and hence the identification of traditional community has become difficult. What does it mean? DC reported that there is no traditional community at coastal district but most of the sand bar holders are belonging to a community,” Bhat pointed out.

“KCES has given permit for 46 sand bar owners. But let them give permission for all 170 people. District administration is violating the rules. Nothing is finalized. We are fighting for all 170 people to get license. Last year, before issuing the permits, AC mining department official and PDO visited the sand bars to examine the traditional (manual) sand extracting,” he said.

“Due to the sand crisis, daily wage labourers, construction workers and engineers are facing dark days. Apart from this, we are opposing tender system for Non-CRZ. We wanted to start non-CRZ and CRZ both together,” he said.

“Sand mafia and transportation at night is still prevailing in both districts. We knew everything, but we are thinking that the needy people are getting sand in that way. Some people are purchasing sand at a higher cost of Rs 18000 per ton. By smuggling, the mining officials will get commission. The artificial sand crisis has led to corruption, illegal business and politics,” Bhat pointed out.

He stressed that, “the state government has to take the issue seriously. A delegation of coastal leaders including me have met Mines and Geology minister Rajashekhar Patil and discussed the issues.”

A Cabinet subcommittee was formed for revising Sand Policy on October 10, 2018. So far, no single meeting was held. A bathymetric survey has been conducted after the protest, held on October 25.

Sudhakar Amin, sand -boat association, Panduranga Acharya of Engineering association, Bhagavan Das and others were present.