Dakshina Kannada DC also bans extraction of sand from rivers in CRZ area

Dakshina Kannada DC also bans extraction of sand from rivers in CRZ area

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, May 23, 2022: Close on the heels of the Udupi district administration banning extraction of sand from rivers in the coastal regulatory zones (CRZ), Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner K.V. Rajendra too has followed suit, pursuant to the orders by the National Green Tribunal (South Zone).

 

Talking to reporters here on Sunday, Dr. Rajendra said that the District Sand Monitoring Committee had recently started the process of issuing temporary permits for extraction of sand from 14 sand bars identified in the CRZ on the Phalguni and Netravathi. Around 130 temporary permits had been issued.

“With the order of the NGT, the whole process has been stopped. There will be no extraction of sand in the coastal regulatory zones in Dakshina Kannada,” he said. The temporary permit holders have been informed about the NGT’s decision. They have been asked to remove boats and other equipment from the respective places, he said.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner said in a release on Sunday that as per Karnataka Minor Minerals Concession (Amendment) Rules, 2021 and New Sand Policy of 2020, the Karnataka State Mineral Corporation Ltd (KSMCL) had been allowed dredging (with sand) on the backwaters of Adyapady vented dam on the Phalguni and on the backwaters of Shambhur vented dam on the Netravathi.

The sand thus collected during the dredging and stored in the stock yards at Adyapady and Shambur is available for sale to people, contractors and to different projects. The KSMCL will sell it with mineral despatch permit. The contractors and other people can purchase it by paying Rs. 700 plus GST per tonne by logging on to https://sand.karnataka.gov.in or through Maralu Mitra app. The helpline is 080-28055000.

Udupi Deputy Commissioner M. Kurma Rao on Saturday ordered a complete ban on sand extraction from rivers in CRZ. As many as 161 temporary permits had been issued for sand extraction in Udupi district.

Following the NGT judgement, Mr. Rao asked the mines and geology department to withhold the permits through Integrated Lease Management System.

The NGT Bench in Chennai, comprising judicial member K. Ramakrishnan and expert member Satyagopal Korlapati, on May 18 said sand was being allowed to be extracted by the government through collecting nominal royalty.

Allowing sand to be sold would tantamount to “sand mining”, which is a prohibited activity in CRZ. Sand bars could be removed only by the local community using traditional method only to facilitate safe navigation of fishing vessels.

The extracted sand can be used to nourish beaches, river beds, or river banks. It was stopping sand extraction as it was being done on large commercial scale along the Karnataka coast, the Bench noted.

Courtesy: The Hindu