Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (MS)

Mangaluru, Nov 10: Chaos still prevails with regards to sand mining in Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ). The district of Dakshina Kannada (DK) is again facing sand scarcity.

Though sand is being supplied at present from non-CRZ zone as wells as from yards of Shamboor and Adyapady, there is issue of quality and improper supply. Those who are building individual houses have literally stopped their construction work because of non-availability of sand. The price of sand also has sky rocketed according to building contractors.

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Mahabala Kottary of district civil contractors’ association said that an appeal will be made to district administration to resolve the sand issue.

The high court has given the go ahead to excavate sand from CRZ area using manual labour only. However, the district administration is confused with regards to the implementation of the rule and that is why sand mining is still not started in CRZ area.

Former deputy commissioner (DC) of DK Dr Rajendra K V informed that the state government’s green signal is needed as the state government and DK district administration were the defendants in the petition filed by temporary sand excavation permit holders in court. However, the temporary permit holders say that there is no need for government’s permission as the high court had quashed the prohibition on traditional sand mining imposed by the DK district administration.

DC Ravikumar said, “Temporary permit holders of sand mining have submitted appeal to me to allow them to excavate sand manually in CRZ area. As this needs to be decided by the district sand in charge committee, it will be sent to it. The committee will scrutinize the order of the court and take further action.”