Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (HB/EP)

Udupi, Apr 13: Udupi-Chikkamagaluru Lok Sabha candidate Pramod Madhwaraj has alleged that cess of worker’s fund of sand workers, lorry owners, Credai office bearers and construction workers is not being used properly. He urged for proper use of the fund in the future.

Lorry owners asked why sand is not available in Udupi while it is available in Mangaluru and Uttara Kannada. They blamed Pramod for the problem. Pramod Madhwaraj explained that a villager in Kukkude, Haradi had complained about illegal sand mining to green tribunal. Therefore, the green tribunal stayed sand mining in CRZ limits. Realizing the scarcity of sand for several months, Pramod repeatedly contacted the then state minister of law T B Jayachandra and state government lawyer Ashok Havalli and got the stay vacated.” I have got 27 sand mounds identified in 2017-18 to begin extraction of nine lac tons sand. 165 contractors were identified and six lac tons was extracted.”

“Raghupathi Bhat in last Vidhan Sabha elections said that he will bring sand to houses in a month if he becomes MLA. However, people have not got sand even after eleven months. He has asked to throw GPS installed in boats and lorries into the house of Pramod Madhwaraj. GPS was implemented in 2012 when Raghupathi Bhat was the MLA. I became MLA in 2013. Only seven sand mounds and 45 contractors are identified and 17,000 tons sand is extracted this year. Raghupathi Bhat has completely failed to provide sand to people. In response to my favour, you spread propaganda that I am responsible for sand scarcity and made me lose in the last Vidhan Sabha elections,” he said.

“Modi led government on January 18 has ordered not to make sand mounds in the country’s coast. I will try to get an act for in stream mining inside non CRZ rivers and try to the maximum limit for a permanent solution to the sand problem in the coastal region, if elected,” he said.