People’s representatives from Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts on Thursday urged Minister for Mines and Geology C.C. Patil for early announcement of a sand extraction policy for coastal Karnataka.
Speaking at a meeting of members of the District Task Force of the two districts here, Karkala MLA V. Sunil Kumar said that elected public representatives of the region were demanding the sand policy for the last two years. “The pressing problem needs to be addressed and the issue needs to be taken to a logical conclusion,” Mr. Kumar said.
Mr. Kumar said that as in CRZ areas, where sand is allowed to be extracted in a traditional way, provision should be made to allow traditional extraction of sand by going down to the riverbed in non-CRZ areas too. “Traditional sand extraction was allowed prior to 2011. Not allowing traditional extraction of sand in non-CRZ areas now is leading to law and order problem,” he said.
When Additional Chief Secretary (Mines) G. Kumara Naik and Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner K.V. Rajendra pointed out that panchayats were empowered to take steps for extraction of sand from the riverbeds and vented dams in their jurisdiction, Mr. Kumar said that panchayats lacked expertise in getting sand extracted.
Mr. Kateel said that the government should allow traditional sand extraction by local residents in places such as Belthangady where the river flows continuously. In places such as Puttur and Sullia, where there is no need for traditional sand extraction, panchayats should be allowed to extract sand using the services of government and other agencies.
MLC Prathap Simha Nayak, MLAs Rajesh Nayak, Y. Bharath Shetty and D.Vedavyas Kamath also spoke.
