In all, 76 traditional sand extractors will be permitted to remove 16 sand bars in the coastal regulatory zone (CRZ) in Dakshina Kannada, according to Deputy Commissioner Sasikanth Senthil S.
Addressing presspersons here on Wednesday, he said that the sand bars have been identified using bathymetric survey. Unless there is one metre draught, fishing boats will find it difficult to sail. Sand bars that come in the way of movement of fishing boats will be removed. “We will start issuing permits now,” he said.
He said that of the 22 sand blocks identified in non-CRZ in the district, two extractors have now been permitted to remove sand from the two blocks. Bids would be invited to remove sand from the remaining blocks soon with conditions in the bid being relaxed now. With the revised conditions, the applicant for a particular block need not reside in the jurisdiction of a particular gram panchayat.
It is enough if the applicant resided in a particular taluk. The bid condition on annual turnover of the applicant has been reduced from ₹ 25 lakh to ₹ 5 lakh. Once permitted, the lease period to remove sand would be for five years and not for a year like earlier.
The Deputy Commissioner said that of the remaining 20 blocks, sand from seven blocks would be used for the government’s development projects such as roads and buildings and to build low-cost government houses for the poor.
He said that in-stream extraction in non-CRZ has been banned by the National Green Tribunal. The sand which has been exposed should be removed.
The Deputy Commissioner said that bids have been invited for dredging in the Thumbe Vented Dam.