Claiming that Dakshina Kannada is facing severe sand scarcity, Nalin Kumar Kateel, MP, alleged here on Friday that it appeared the Congress-led State government was creating it as people voted for the BJP in seven of the eight Assembly segments in the district.

At a press conference, Mr. Kateel asked, “Is this a punishment for people for having voted for the BJP?”

Stating that common people were the worst hit because of the scarcity, the MP claimed that many have not been able to build houses and other buildings. Development works of the government have also been hit, he claimed.

Mr. Kateel, however, contradicted his own statement and alleged that sand mafia was responsible for the scarcity. He alleged that the mafia was calling the shots in the administration.

He said land conversion has come to a halt in the district. Hence people have not been able to purchase and sell properties. People are waiting to construct houses and other buildings.

Mr. Kateel said the government should declare a compensation package for arecanut growers who have lost the crop at ‘kole roga’ (fruit rot disease) during this rainy season. The government should have sent a team of scientists for the assessment of damage. The State government has done nothing on it, he said.

The MP said the government should open the Shiradi Ghat stretch of Mangaluru–Bengaluru national highway for trucks, lorries and other multi-axle vehicles. The restoration works on Sampaje Ghat was expected to be completed in two months.

If the government did not respond to these issues, the BJP would launch an agitation, he said. The MP said the progress of works on flyovers coming up at Pumpwell and Thokkottu were being reviewed every fortnight. The Thokkottu flyover would be ready by December-end and the one at Pumpwell would be ready by the end of January next.

MLAs Sanjeeva Matandoor, Umanath A. Kotian, and Y. Bharat Shetty were present.