Umesh Marpalli

Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (EP)

Udupi, Dec 30: Former MLA and minister Pramod Madhwaraj led a delegation to Mines and Geology Minister Rajashekhar B Patil and department secretary Rajendra Kumar Kataria and requested them to take special efforts to remove legal obstacles to extract sand because of CRZ and non-CRZ bifurcation. He requested to set right the rules to extract sand from river within legal parameters, continue old permits and issue new permits to extract sand.

He requested to consider Dalit sand mining workers while issuing new permits for traditional sand mining.

Minister of geology who heard former minister Pramod Madhwaraj assured that he will be calling a meeting of deputy commissioners of three districts and elected representatives soon to solve the issue.

Udupi district sand mining workers association office bearers and members, members of tempo owners and driver’s association, sand mining workers belonging to Dalit community and senior officials of concerned department were present.