Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (SP)

Kundapur, Jan 21: As the workers have turned towards agricultural activities, freshwater sand mining in the taluk has come to a standstill. Sand shortage if staring in the eye of the construction and other businesses in the district.

Out of 24 sand blocks in Kundapur, Brahmavar, Karkala, Udupi and Hebri taluks, only two blocks have been given permission, as a result of which sand shortage has happened.

As per the report, the district has 1.99 lac metric tonnes of sand blocks spread over 43.3 hectares in different rivers and rivulets. Reservation criterion has been fixed for participation in tender. Balkur happens to be the largest block in the district with 33,116 tonnes of sand availability. However, other than Kandlur, Balkur, Hiriyadka and sand available at Baje dam, auction process relating to other blocks has not happened. Tender has not been invited even though notification was issued.

Government works get sand from Baje dam but houses and other construction activities need freshwater sand which is in short supply. Although this sand is available at Balkur, sand extraction is not going on there. The concerned say workers are engaged in farm activities. In the past, the district administration had suspended operations here as the weighing scale had not been installed.

Unlike other places where app-based sand booking prevails, in the town, one has to personally visit the counter to book sand. The people have sought app-based booking here too.