Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (MS)

Udupi, Sep 29: The sand extraction, which was stopped two years ago, in the district started on Friday, September 27.

42 permits are issued so far to extract sand from the eight sand dunes that are identified on the river basins of CRZ of the district. The permit holders have started the work and 85 metric tonnes of sand is transported on Friday. The sand extraction continued on Saturday also.

There are all signs that the sand mining industry, which had stalled two years ago and affected not only the livelihood of poor labourers of the construction industry but also put the coastal economy on hold, will thrive again. This has brought smiles on the face of financially poor construction workers, laourers associated with the sand extraction and transportation and general public.

Permit is given to 48 people in the district. Geo fencing is done for the sand dunes. GPS is attached to the boats that extract the sand and the trucks that transport it. Eight sand dunes including Uppur on the basin of Swarna river, Moodutonse, Baikady and Harady, on the basin of Sita river and Padukere on the basin of Papanashini river are identified for sand extraction.

In the last two years, several protests, vehicle rallies and day-night protests were held in front of the office of the Deputy Commissioner of the district urging for restarting of sand extraction. Now all are heaving a sigh of relief.