Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Feb 17: Dakshina Kannada (DK) district in-charge minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has expressed serious concerns over illegal sand mining in various parts of the district.
Speaking to reporters in Mangaluru, he stated, "On one hand, there is a demand for sand, and on the other, despite granting permission for legal extraction, it is not being utilised. Illegal sand mining remains a challenge within the system. I will discuss the issue with the mines minister regarding the district's mining officer.”
He further emphasised that illegal sand mining is not a recent issue and that some individuals continue to exploit easily accessible sand. "If sand is removed near bridges, they will weaken, leading to damages worth crores of rupees. There is a need for collective efforts to resolve this issue," he added.
The minister assured that he would take up the matter with the concerned department during the upcoming KDP meeting.
Later, he criticised the mines and geology department for its failure to curb the increasing cases of illegal sand mining in the district.
Officials were unable to answer several questions raised by the minister and were seen shifting blame onto other departments. Expressing disappointment over their inefficiency, the minister stated that the department's lack of action was unacceptable.
The mines and geology department, in turn, blamed police officials, claiming they were not receiving adequate support to tackle the issue effectively.
In a heated discussion, mines and geology official Krishnaveni raised concerns about the lack of support from the police and insufficient manpower to tackle illegal sand mining. Responding sharply, minister and Congress leader Dinesh Gundu Rao accused her department of failing in its responsibility to control the issue. He pointed out that Krishnaveni had previously failed to sign the proceedings of meetings held by the deputy commissioner.
District in-charge secretary Tulsi Maddineni, interjecting, stressed that it was the mines and geology department’s duty to curb illegal sand mining and called for action, rather than placing blame on others.
Police commissioner Anupam Agrawal weighed in, saying the police were willing to provide support if given accurate information. However, he highlighted a loophole: seized lorries often get released by paying a fine of Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 during Lok Adalat, undermining efforts to curb the illegal trade.