From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Nov 27: A seven-member committee of the Karnataka State Legislative Assembly has recommended extraction of sand 500 deposits by next month-end in the State.

The Committee in its 19-page report has also favoured a wide-ranging reforms for simplifying procedures for granting permits for setting up manufacture sand units.

The extraction of sand mining, if carried out by the State Government, as recommended by the House Committee should come as a big relief for the construction industry hit by over 50 per cent shortage in the supply of sand.

Currently, sand is being extracted from 89 deposits. 

A total of 727 sand deposits have been identified across State.

The Mines and Geology Department granted permission to extract sand from 464 deposits.

The panel has strongly favoured crack down on illegal sand mining. 

To prevent harassment from the police, the committee said the police should refrain from exercising powers on vehicles transporting sand. 

By formulating suitable guidelines, it said steps to be taken to grant sand permits through Nemmadi Kendras across the State.

Apart from establishing a single window agency for dealing permits related sand mining, the panel has recommended establishment of sand depots in Bengaluru and Hubli-Dharwad on pilot basis for meeting the demand and supply of the construction material. 

It said the PWD or the Mysore Minerals Ltd must take steps to run sand depots. In the case of shortage of staff, it recommended outsourcing of manpower for handling of depots and sale of sand from depots at government price.