Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Apr 9: Officials of revenue, mines and geology departments along with police conducted a joint raid on Sunday April 8 and confiscated 230 truckloads of sand illegally stored in a vacant plot of land near Subrahmanya Bhajana Mandir near Neermarga in the outskirts of the city.

Dakshina Kannada district administration has issued licences to extract sand on a limited scale within the limits of Coastal Regulatory Zone. But illegal extraction of sand is going on at some places, and the sand so  extracted is stored and sold illegally.

Deputy commissioner of Dakshina Kannada district, Sasikanth Senthil, had information about the illegal sand stock at Neermarga. He had given responsibility of conducting surprise raid, to a team led by probationary IAS officer, Gyanendra. The team accompanied by mines and geology departments geologist, Murthy and inspector of rural polcie station, S H Bhajantri along with other staff, conducted the operation.

The district adminisitration said that investigation is being conducted into the people responsible for storing sand illegally and also the source of the sand.