Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (SP)

Kundapur, Jan 8: The local assistant commissioner raided certain spots in Herikudru within Anagalli gram panchayat limits in the taluk on Wednesday January 7 evening, and brought the illegal sand mining activity which has been thriving there since long, to a screeching halt. He not only seized seven trucks during the raid, but also imposed fines on them.

While several other sectors in the coast have been reeling under the pressure of Kasturirangan report implementation and Coastal Regulatory Zone rules, illegal sand mining has continued to flourish without any hindrance. These sand miners have occupied every perceivable site on the river banks and seashore in violation of laws and rules in force, and without holding any licences for the activity. New sites for sand mining and storage are opening up, and there are allegations that several of them have even encroached roads.

People of Herikudru, a small hamlet in Anagalli gram panchayat, have been suffering untold miseries because of the proliferation of this illegal activity. Several families in this hamlet which live on the banks of the river are facing the prospects of becoming destitute because of excessive sand mining. In addition, there is worrying information that the mafia has been using bitumen used for the ring road for sand mining activity.

The gram panchayat, whenever approached by the people here about these problems, has been doling out promises of repairing the road next time, without doing anything about sand mining. Fed up by this recklessness, people of the area, who are facing the dire prospects of suffering the after affects of possible sand erosion, have warned of undertaking strong protest.

Over 30 families entirely depend on Herikudri Ring Road, but this road has been battered so much that let alone cars, even two-wheelers find it hard to negotiate its pot holes and bumps apart from traffic of heavy trucks. Sand mining goes on uninterrupted at five spots in this hamlet by the side of the national highway, and mostly heavy vehicles with up to 14 wheels frequent the sand mining decks. The entire Ring Road is full of vehicles transporting sand, turning the lives of the locals hellish. People of the village claim that in violation of the orders of district deputy commissioner (DC), two to three new sand docks have been set up during the last couple of months. It is said that the panchayat, which gets a revenue of about Rs 60,000 from vehicles carrying sand, has been spending this amount for works in other parts of the gram panchayat.

It may be recalled that illegal sand mining centres functioning in Kharvikeri in the town were evicted on Monday as per the directions of the district deputy commissioner, who had been approached by Kharvi community members, who suspect that a recent murder was the handiwork of sand mining workers. On Wednesday, during the visit of the DC to the taluk office here, some locals had complained to him about the unbridled sand mining going on at Herikudru. During the meeting held at the taluk office thereafter, the DC had directed the concerned about the need to clear the illegal sand mining activities at Herikkudru. AC, Charulata Somal, raided the sites in Herikudru in the company of officials. She collected keys of seven trucks. It is learnt that the truck owners have been told to pay fine of Rs 30,000 per tonne of sand before they could get their vehicles back.