Daijiworld Media Network—Udupi (HB)

Udupi, Oct 30: Lokesh G Mendon Uppoor, president, Udupi District Sand Boat Labourers’ Association, in a press meet on Wednesday October 28, said that sweet water and salt water sand mining is going on everywhere.

“At present, the district authority has given permission to 169 association members to undertake traditional sand mining and 18 clusters were identified as per the government order,” he said.

“The district sand in-charge committee has 26 members under the presidentship of the district commissioner. Various department representatives from the field of environment, fishing, forest, public welfare, transport, irrigation, earth and mining are on the committee. The government job opportunity is for a minimum 2,000 people under traditional sand mining in the coastal district,” added Uppoor.

He informed that the state government expected to be get nearly Rs 6 crore of the total amount from this sand mining in 2015-16 and will be distributing 25 percent of the total amount to respective panchayats.

Uppoor also added that as per the NITK Mangaluru authority order on sand transportation, the committee should give first priority to local people and excess sand should go to other districts.

Sudhakar D Amin, Panagala, Jayaram Bandhary, Siddhapura, and Uday Poojary Kallianpur were present.