Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Sep 28: Former MLA, N Yogish Bhat, noted with concern that people who are genuinely entitled to extract sand in the district have lost their right because of the highhandedness of illegal sand miners. He demanded to put immediate end to illegal sand transportation.

He was addressing a huge gathering of protestors against sky-high price of sand, as well as Congress sand mafia and lackadaisical approach of the district administration towards solving the problem. The protest was organized by BJP in front of the office of deputy commissioner of Dakshina Kannada district on Tuesday September 27.

"Sand, an important ingredient needed for construction industry, is woefully in short supply. Thousands of people dependent for their survival on this industry are facing a crisis. Although the restrictions placed on sand transportation between June 15 and August 15 has ended, permission is not being given for legal extraction and transportation of sand, putting the construction sector in deep trouble," he noted.

He demanded to issue permission for owners of sand blocks and drivers to legally engage in sand mining. He also demanded that Illegal sand transportation should be stopped through legal means. A memorandum containing these and several other demands was later handed over to deputy commissioner.

Former MLC, Monappa Bhandary, BJP leaders, Brijesh Chowta, Ravishnakar Mijar, Jitendra Kottary, Harish Punja Bhaskarchandra Shetty, Roopa D Bangera, Sudhir Shetty Kannur and a number of other leaders were present.