Silvester D’Souza
Daijiworld Media Network–Kundapur (EP)
Kundapur, Oct 29: Scarcity of sand remains as it is in Udupi district. While district administration has failed to solve the problem, people representatives showing a soft approach towards it has anguished the people.
While green tribunal brought the stay order on sand mining, the stubborn attitude of sand workers has made the problem complex. Families which depend solely on construction work are put to hardship. Deepavali has become only a festival of darkness for them.
Sand mining which should have started by August has not resumed till the end of October. Construction work has remained stagnant. The situation has impacted the economy in the district and on Deepavali shopping. Shopping hands have become weak for want of cash. Working class is tired borrowing loans during the last three months. There is no enthusiasm in the market.
District in-charge minister Pramod Madhwaraj had said recently that the problem will be solved but he has failed to implement the remedial measures. Calls to stress on traditional sand mining, setting aside the coast from one sided sand policy, bringing about a separate sand policy were few of the remedies demanded by traditional sand miners for quite some time.
Labour organizations have campaigned urging to resume sand mining and provide employment to the workers. None of them were effective.
Sand Mafia is at work in the district at nights. Sand is being sold at four times the earlier price. Those, who had stocks of sand, have earned handsome profits.
Sand mining should be beneficial to people in the district. It should be available at reasonable price as before, people from outside the state participate in tender process and sell sand to outside the district and this should be stopped- these are the demands of the concerned people presently.
Sand was available without any hassles in the past. The people, who are dependant for their livelihood based on the business of sand mining, have suffered a lot for no fault of theirs.