Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal (SP)

Bantwal, Sep 24: Under the directions of Mangaluru assistant commissioner, officials of revenue as well as mines and geology department raided several spots at Sarapady Sangabettu and other villages in the taluk and found about 800 truckloads of sand illegally stored there. The raid was ordered on the basis of complaints received from the citizens of these villages.

The value of the sand found has been calculated at Rs 29.60 lac. Tahsildar of the taluk, Purandar Hegde, said that the guilty will either be fined or criminal case would be filed against them.

As per information, the stock was found from Sarapady, Sangabettu and Maninalkur villages. The sand was found stored in land belonging to individuals. 100 loads of sand was found at Maninalkur Gandi road, 150 loads near Mavinakatte Wines at Maninalkur, 150 loads at Sarapady, 30 loads stored by an indivividuals near Gandi Road Maninalkur, 60 loads at Agaragandi in Maninalkur said to be belonging to a person from Kalladka, and 40 loads pertaining to a person from Maninalkur Majalu House. It is gathered that revenue and mines department officials also went to a place in Sangabettu where 70 load of sand was stored, and a place in Karpe where 200 loads of sand was hoarded.

It is said that effort was being made to transport this sand outside the district. The raids were conducted after the people filed complaints, and brought pressure after seeing that no action was taken for several days. Girish Mohan of mines and geology department, revenue officer, Naveen Kumar, village accountants, Janardan and Vandana took part in the raids.

It is gathered that police here have found during their survey that sand was stocked illegally at various places within the jurisdiction of rural police station here and that the department had written to the department concerned. But no action has been taken so far in this regard, it is said.