Daijiworld Media Network-Udupi (HB)

Udupi, May 10: “Sand mafia is relentlessly mining sand in the name of traditional sand mining,” said Uday Kumar Tallur, member of Karnataka Dalit Sangharsha Samiti Okkuta in a press meet at Brahmagiri on Tuesday May 10. 

“Chief minister Siddaramaiah and concerned department should take immediate action against such illegal mining,” he said. 

“The district authority has issued 186 permits to individuals for sand mining. But there are many who are illegally mining the sand. There are fake license holders in district and many license have been made in the name of women. They are 11 fake license holds in Udupi and four in Kundapur taluk,” he alleged.

“The sand block owners have their license in their daughter’s and wife’s name instead of having in their own name. The sand mafia exploits poor migrants at work place and earns a fortune in the sand market,” he added. 

Dalit Samiti demanded to give one permit to a family and if the family lives in far from the sand block, they demanded that the permit should be cancelled. 

State convener of Samiti, Sundar Master, said, “The sand and boat workers’ union is controlled by private owners. One of the union members is misusing ST reserved license permit.” 

Shekhar Hejamadi alleged that district authority was directly involved in this dealing and taking bribe from sand dealers. 

Vishwanatha Pethri and others present during the press meet.