Joint Action Committee demands concession on sand transportation

Joint Action Committee demands concession on sand transportation

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Nov 22: Joint Action Committee of Sand Contractors, Sand Boat Owners, Workers, and Building Material Transporters President Mayur Ullal urged the state government to provide concession on sand transportation in the coastal region, including DK.

The committee also opposed the government’s rule of giving the powers of auctioning sand to the Public Works Department (PWD). The government had decided to constitute a committee to look into environmental issues before finalizing this policy. Demanding that the powers bestowed on the PWD should be removed, Ullal said that the committee has registered 596 lorries for GPS implementation and around 486 of these lorries have already been fitted with GPS. The committee will fit all the other registered lorries with GPS soon, he added.

 

 

Stating that the committee welcomes the High Court order WP 22979:10 dated 9-11-2010 making it mandatory for all sand-transporting vehicles to install GPS, he said that the court’s order prevents sand mining with machinery that can cause harm to the environment and living creatures.

While accepting the high court directives, the committee condemns the government’s new rules and proposals because it cheats over 10,000 families, who earn their living through the sand mining business.

The committee has submitted a memorandum to District-in-charge Minister Krishna J. Palemar, in which they have urged the government to provide concession to people involved in the sand mining trade in the coastal regions.

Ullal said that if the government fails to make moves in their favor in spite of the memorandum submitted, the committee will organize an intense protest in front of the DC office on Dec 14, 2010.

B. S. Chandru, the advisor of the committee; Rajaratna Sanil, the secretary; Shareef; and Latheef were present at the press meet.