BJP to protest sand, laterite stone shortage across DK Assembly segments on July 14

BJP to protest sand, laterite stone shortage across DK Assembly segments on July 14

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, July 10, 2025: The BJP will stage protests at the headquarters of eight Assembly constituencies in Dakshina Kannada on July 14, to demand that the State government find a solution to the scarcity of sand and laterite stone in the district, said Satish Kumpala, BJP district president.

Addressing presspersons here on Wednesday, he said that not only the construction industry, but also many individuals who are constructing houses and other buildings, are facing a scarcity of sand and laterite stones.

Mr. Kumpala said that labourers working in stone quarries are in dire straits as quarrying has come to a standstill in the district. It, in turn, has hit transporters and other stakeholders.

Mr. Kumpala, also the former vice-president of Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat, lamented that quarry owners in the State who extract laterite stones will have to pay ₹256 per tonne as royalty to the government, which is significantly higher than the ₹32 royalty per tonne fixed by the Kerala government. In addition, there is an inordinate delay in issuing licences for quarrying. According to the rules of the Department of Mines and Geology, permission should be granted within 21 days of applying. But the government took up to six months and in some cases 10 months to issue licences. Hence, quarrying is not happening in the district, resulting in scarcity.

Mr. Kumpala said that the government should relax rules to allow quarry owners to resume quarrying of red stones. 

D. Vedavyasa Kamath, MLA, Mangaluru City South, said that sand has not been extracted in the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) for the past two years, resulting in scarcity. The State government has not come up with a sand policy for the coastal belt as promised by the Congress ahead of the last Assembly elections, he said.

Mr. Kamath said that Dinesh Gundu Rao, Minister in charge of Dakshina Kannada, did not even hold a meeting with stakeholders and elected representatives to find a solution to the scarcity.

U. Rajesh Naik, MLA, Bantwal, questioned the government for keeping the post of Deputy Director of the Department of Mines and Geology in Dakshina Kannada vacant and allowing a senior geologist to manage the entire administration. 

Y. Bharat Shetty, MLA, Mangaluru City North; Harish Poonja, MLA, Belthangady; and Bhagirathi Murulya, MLA, Sullia, were present.