Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (SP)
Kundapur, Oct 28: Protests have often been staged in coastal Karnataka about the menace of illegal sand mining. Fishermen and people living in the coast alike have been facing lot of hardship on account of indiscriminate sand mining. Protest had flared up at Kodi last week against illegal sand mining, which resulted in miseries for them.
On Wednesday October 28 morning, angry residents of Kodi gathered together to hold a protest, after getting information that sand mining had begun again on Tuesday evening. Learning about the planned protest, policemen from here rushed to Kodi, and took precautions to see that no unsavoury incidents occur during the protest.
Preparations towards conducting illegal sand mining have been going on at Kodi since about the last one and half months. People Kodi had braced themselves a number of times to legally fight this issue. Besides visiting the offices of the district deputy commissioner, mining and geology and revenue departments, the villagers of Kodi and fishermen had brought up the practical problems they face because of illegal mining activity.
The villagers had held a protest last Thursday, pointing out that sand mining has been harming fishing activity. They had urged the officials to identify the areas of sand bars, as conducting sand mining at different spots creates problems for the fishing activity. The officials thereafter visited Kodi and had promised that sand mining activity would not be allowed to be undertaken until sand bar areas are properly demarcated. But after permission to conduct sand mining was accorded,no official had visited the spot. Sensing that sand mining was being conducted again, people of Kodi got angry and staged protest.
Taluk panchayat member, Manju Billava, who visited the spot, told the media persons that workers dependent on fishing had held this protest, as unscientific sand mining harms their activity. "No politics is involvled in this protest. I support such protests, as the traditional occupations of the people face danger from sand mining," he said. He demanded that the officials concerned should visit the spot and solve the problem.
Municipal councillor, Sandeep Poojary, felt that there is a need to hold serious discussions on the problems created by sand mining. He also asked the officials to get rid of dual stands and take steps to honestly address the problem.
The protesters said that they would not allow illegal sand mining activity at Kodi. "We are not opposed to conducting of sand mining in areas marked as sand bars. But obtaining licence for mining at sand bars and conducting actual mining elsewhere is an illegal activity. Moreover, it creates bottlenecks for fishing. Therefore, we will not allow sand mining till officials of the department concerned and also the district deputy commissioner come here and conduct proper survey," they warned.
The police, who arrived at the spot, held discussions with sand contractors and villagers. They promised to make efforts to see that officials of mines and geology officials come to the spot and attend to the issue. They requested the concerned to maintain status quo till this is done.
The question of closing down fish processing factory at Kodi also came up for discussions. The women labourers working for the factory warned of holding protest if the factory is closed.
The villagers are now awaiting the arrival of officials from the department of mines and geology.