Sand banned with immediate effect

MANGALURU: District magistrate and deputy commissioner A B Ibrahim has issued an order banning transportation of sand from Dakshina Kannada to other district with from 12am on June 7. The ban order was issued following complaints on shortage of sand for construction activities within the district. "It is found that people are facing difficulties in procuring sand for construction of houses and other buildings in the district. The district administration has received several complaints in this regard from general public and people's representatives. Hence, B Ramanath Rai, minister for forest, environment, ecology and district in-charge and deputy commissioner A B Ibrahim held a meeting with officials of the department of mines and geology on June 6. The meet resolved to ban transportation of sand to other districts completely," said B Sadashiva Prabhu, additional deputy commissioner. It may be recalled that the district administration has already banned sand mining completely from June 15 to August 31. This total ban on sand mining has been promulgated to facilitate breeding of aquatic life during monsoon. Prabhu said that there is no change in the monsoon ban on sand mining activities. Even the Civil Contractors Association members had pointed that that illegal transportation of sand to other districts and other states has led to shortage crisis in Dakshina Kannada district. The association members had pointed that an average of 6,000 - 8,000 tons of sand is being transported illegally to various places from the district. Though one truck load should contain 200 cubic feet of sand, illegal transportation takes place with vehicles carrying up to 300 cubic feet, the civil contractors had alleged. Civil Contractors Association district president M Purushotham Kottary said in Dakshina Kannada, the construction industry needs an average of 2,000 tons of sand per day. "Though there is huge demand for sand, we don't get sufficient quantity. The rate fixed by the district administration for coarse sand is Rs 15 per cubic feet, but more than 6,000 tons of sand is being sold to other districts a day for Rs 30 per cubic feet," Kottary had stated. -TOI