Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru (EP)
Bengaluru, Oct 5: “We will not permit illegal mining. People should not be put to hardship regarding redstone and soil,” said chief minister Siddaramaiah.
He was speaking after presiding over a meeting regarding sand and redstone mining in Udupi district limits.
“Permit letters for sand blocks will be issued only after the state environment influence valuation authority issues permission. As the authority meets once a month there will be a delay. The process should be hastened,” he told the commissioner of authority.
“The new sand policy came into effect on December 1, 2021 and there are small blocks. It is necessary to maintain the welfare of construction workers and those who extract sand. A decision to avoid problems for workers should be taken,” said former minister Vinay Kumar Sorake.
“As many as 39 blocks have been identified to approve contracts through a tender-cum-auction process in non-CRZ areas. The tendering process of nine blocks among them was successful. The re-auction process for 30 blocks will be held soon,” said Udupi deputy commissioner Vidya Kumari.
Eight lac tons of sand is required. There is a problem of gravel and redstones. “Sand is being used to construct houses according to the prevailing weather conditions in Mangaluru and Udupi. Industries are using it because it has bauxite. People feel that it should not be transported outside the district," she said.
It was also requested in the meeting that the deputy commissioner should be authorised to issue permits and the rules should be simplified for sand mining of stones in necessary sizes.
"As many as 71 permits for laterite mining have been issued for a year. As the mineral is separated as bauxite an amendment was brought to the Karnataka by ore concession rules 1994 and the amendment 2023 was passed. Therefore, the process of issuing permits for laterite ore has been given up. The rule can be amended as necessary for the district. The amendment made by the previous government can be amended again for issuing permits to vehicles. The soil that is crushed should be used in the district,” said those in the meeting.
“Nine dialysis machines are malfunctioning in the district hospital and only one machine is working. Salary to the staff there has not been paid for the last six months. The salaries should be disbursed immediately,” said the chief minister.
Udupi district in-charge minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar, minister of mining and geology S S Mallikarjun, backward class commission president Jayaprakash Hegde, MLC Kota Srinivas Poojary, MLAs Yashpal Suvarna, Gurme Suresh Shetty, Kiran Kumar Kodgi, Gururaj Shetty Gantihole, former minister Vinay Kumar Sorake, Udupi deputy commissioner Vidya Kumari, district security officer Dr Arun K and mining and geology department director Girish R were present.