By Silvester D’Souza

Daijiworld Media Network—Kundapur (EP)

Kundapur, Oct 23: The menace of illegal sand mining is rampant across the coast. The villagers protested on Thursday October 22 alleging that the fishermen and residents on the coast are facing an unstable situation due to the indifference of the officials of department of geology and revenue as regards illegal sand mining in the area. They also blocked a lorry laden with sand trying at Kasaba Kodi, Kundapur.

Preparations for illegal sand mining were in progress in Kodi for the last one and a half months and the villagers had come forward for a legal battle. The villagers, after wandering to the office of the deputy commissioner, department of geology, and the revenue department had brought the problems caused by illegal mining to the notice of officials.

However, mining had resumed on Thursday morning all of a sudden and the villagers who observed workers from Uttar Pradesh filling boats with sand, came together for protests. A lorry was already filled with sand and was preparing to leave. The villagers blocked the lorry and conducted protests against it.

The protesters were annoyed that Kundapur town municipal council member Sandeep who came there argued in favour of the sand mining contractor. There were arguments between the protesters and Sandeep for a while. The Kundapur station police who arrived there diffused the situation.

The protesters said that they will not let sand mining in Kodi at any cost. They said that they do not have objections to sand mining in the sand bar area but sand mining elsewhere producing the
records of sand bar is illegal and it also causes problems to fishing. They warned that they will not give room for sand mining until the concerned officials and deputy commissioner come to the place and conduct a survey.

Kundapur police have seized the lorry and registered a case against illegal sand mining.

As per rules, the license holders for sand mining at Kundapur Kasba should conduct sand mining only in sand bar area there. They should take permission from owners of the area on the shore and the department of geology for storing of sand. But Kodi area is a part of Kundapur Kasba and 30 acres land in Survey No 290 near Panchagavali Park on Ferry Road was reserved for mining. However, those who obtained permission are indulging in mining in the fisheries area instead of the area identified by the government for mining.