Silvester D'Souza

Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (SP)

Kundapur, Feb 21: Although the district administration has taken imperative steps to regulate illegal sand extraction in the district, the activity goes on unhindered in coastal Karnataka. There have been instances in which people who tried to stop this activity were victims of life-threatening attacks.

In an incident which happened at Nencharu within the limits of Kota police station, a zilla panchayat (ZP) member and his bunch of henchmen not only gate-crashed into the land belonging to an individual, but also indulged in illegal sand extraction there. When the watchmen tried to stop the gang, the gang assaulted him, it is said.

BJP lealder,Pratap Hegde Marali, who also happens to be a Zilla panchayat member, has been allegedly undertaking illegal sand mining since long from River Sita at Nencharu. The locals had objected to this activity many a time. The villagers had also accused Pratap of entering into an understanding with the officials of the department of mines and indulging in forcible sand extraction.

Nisha Francis and Francis George own ten acres of land in survey No. 121 at Nencharu near Goliangady. The couple has been cultivating rubber in the plot. River Sita flows by the side of this land, and it is said that illegal sand extraction was going on there. It is gathered that the gang was illegally entering the plantation owned by George and carrying sand with the help of tippers. Watchman of the rubber plantation, Sudhir Shetty, had brought this to the notice of the land owner.

Even after locking the gate by the owner, the gang was breaking the lock and driving the JCB and tipper through the gate. When the watchman stopped the vehicle, ZP member, Pratap Hegde Marali, Praveen Hegde Marali, Vijay Shetty Goliangady and some others assaulted Sudhir Shetty, it is said. When George's friend, Ramesh Shetty, came there after he learnt about the development, the gang threatened him too and escaped with a tipper loaded with sand, it has been mentioned in the complaint.

The local villagers strongly feel that the ZP member concerned has entered into tacit understanding with the officials of the department of mines for undertaking illegal sand extraction as above. They have warned of launching a strong protest if the illegal sand mining is not stopped forthwith.