Harshini Brahmavar
Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)
Udupi, Dec 3: Residents of Passkudru in Moodu Perampalli, Shivalli village, have become listless and frustrated at the illegal sand mining in the region. They are feeling hapless against indiscriminate sand mining going on under licences obtained in the names of Shalma N Hege and others. Coconut trees and houses are being gobbled up by advancing water due to sand mining year after year, but district administration has turned a blind eye towards the travails and pathetic condition of locals. Even the vented dam built across Swarna river by the government for a distance of 200 metres at a cost of Rs 50 lac has been damaged and is facing grave danger. No one appears to be capable of putting a brake on illegal sand mining.
A local, Victor Mascarenhas, says that sand mining had come down by half in 2013, but the activity has resumed in full scale in the region, robbing the people of their peace and sleep. Although sand licences have been issued at six spots, the business is going on at nine to ten spots, through day and night. The locals complain that the persons concerned are using sand mining licences issued somewhere else to mine sand from this spot.
Representatives from the area have met the deputy commissioner of the district four times in a week, but this has not done anything to improve the situation. The officials concerned are lethargic to do anything. When the people approached Manipal police station with a complaint, they were sent back by telling them that policemen do not need to be told about their duties by the citizens. The residents of Passkudru are living in a situation where the proverbial Damocles sword appears to be hanging over their heads.
During rainy season, these people have to migrate to safer places, but they have nowhere to go because this is the place where their ancestors had lived and they were brought up here. About 70 families located here are facing peril.
The coconut trees which promised to support their incomes have crashed to the ground, but the government has not sanctioned any compensation to these families. As the water they get here is saline, they are compelled to fetch drinking water from far off places. Passkudru looks like an isle, with only a few buses available to reach Moodu Perampalli. They have to walk two kilometres to reach their habitats, with many in the district not even being aware that such a place exists. After prolonged struggle, people of this village have got electricity connection and a bridge. Several youngsters, mostly students, have lost their lives, after trying to swim in beautiful Swarna river in this locality. Therefore, people of this village remain alert, and when they find someone approaching the place for swimming, they drive them back.
Single women face lot of harassment at the hands of the sand mafia. The daylight robbery here stands as testimony to political clout the miners wield. The owner of a private hotel near Manipal End Point had complained about the problem but he too could not get justice. Therefore, the common people have little hope of getting any relief from government.
The sand miners care two hoots about the 26-point rules stipulated by district administration for sand mining. As sand is now available only in deep pockets, arrangement has made for the trucks coming for loading to enter water over embankment erected by using sand bags. If this is not sufficient, they even use ladder to bring out sand from the depths. The workers flex their muscles whenever someone approaches them to convince them of the illegality of the activity with which they are involved.
The beauty of nature gifted by god is being trampled by people out to make money. It is tragic that the officials, who have the onus of enforcing law, have been behaving as if they are helpless. When people's representatives are approached, they express confusion whether this issue falls under municipality or gram panchayat.
People desirous of going to Havanje on the other side of Passkudru have no other go but to depend on boats. When there is flood, these places lose communication. Now, there is facility to approach the river from Uppoor panchayat side, and the owners of sand docks have levelled this road for making it convenient for vehicles to move about. As a result, considerable portions of agricultural fields falling on this path have been encroached. Unrestricted movement of trucks has robbed people of their sleep. The people connected with sand mining are behaving like animals devoid of humanitarian concerns.
The miners many a time are found to be using the permission obtained for sand mining at Kallianpur sand block here. As per list of mines permitted, there are two docks at Ammunje Kelakudru, two at Ammunje Parari, two at Perampalli Shibragodu, two at Uppoor Mayadi, two at Herga, three at K G Road, and one at Kakkunje. No one is sure how many licences are issued and whether those who are conducting mining here are doing so legally.
Although sand mining is permitted between six in the morning to six in the evening, in violation of the stipulation, mining begins at 3 am. Small huts have been pitched on the river bank to enablethe workers to stay here and resume mining at night. Developing cold feet at the powerful mining lobby here, many have stopped construction of their houses in the region and gone away to other places. As most of the land here is privately owned, questioning the concerned itself poses a challenge. Under pressure from locals, recently, two trucks and a JCB were seized by authorities. The concerned do not seem to be concerned by the fact that Kudru falls under Green Zone.
Three of the mining blocks are located under the railway bridge between Kundapur and Udupi, and activity here is going on without any restriction. The local municipal councillor, who was initially opposed to the activity, has fallen silent of late.
When the locals met the deputy commissioner last week and held talks, he tried to pacify them by mooting the proposal to earmark sand mining spots by planting poles inside the river. But villagers believe this does not offer lasting solution. Michael Mascarenhas said that sand mining, as long as it is legal, will not be obstructed. but if the activity slowly moves towards resulting in drowning of the whole locality, he said, the locals will fight against it tooth and nail.
It is clear that those who are duty-bound to conserve nature and environment have been allowing the nature to be plundered because of some sort of gratification. The sand lobby has carved out a secret path among the bushes to approach the river. Rich people continue to do sand mining illegally, sacrificing the interests of the locals. The locals do not get sand for construction of their own homes, and they are aware that those who mine sands here go to neighbouring districts and market sand at high price. Tragically, owners of the local docks have been supporting such activities by leasing out their land. No one is interested to draw up a detailed plan to provide lasting solution to the problem. The villagers are confounded as to why the government or district administration, which have a duty towards the citizens, are sitting silent and pretty without doing anything. Theofficials should know that mother nature will hit back one day violently against this unnatural activity, and the locals will be at the receiving end of the fury.