Enough stock of sand for next three months, says DC

Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner Dr Rajendra K V clarified that there is enough stock of sand for the next three months at the stockyards in Adyapadi and Shambur.

The silt is being removed from the backwaters of the Adyapadi dam in Phalguni river in Mangaluru taluk and Shambur dam in Nethravathi river in Bantwal taluk by Karnataka State Mineral Corporation Limited (KSMCL), he added.

Using the Maralu Mitra app or website https://sand.karnataka.gov.in, the public can buy sand by paying Rs 7,000 plus GST and the transportation cost for 10 metric tonnes of sand, said the deputy commissioner.

People carrying out construction activities need not panic about sand availability. The total delivery cost of 10 metric tonnes of sand upto 50 km is around Rs 11,147.20. For 12 metric tonnes, it will come to around Rs 12,626.64 and for 35 metric tonnes it will cost Rs 32,560.20, stated sources.

From February till May 24, about 1,960 metric tonnes of sand was dispatched from the Shambur stockyard. About 9,000 metric tonnes of sand at the stockyard in Adyapadi and 12,000 metric tonnes at the stockyard in Shambur is available for distribution. There is a shortage of space for stocking the sand extracted. Depending on the availability of the demand, the sand will be supplied for the construction works in the district, added sources.

There is a huge demand for the supply of sand from the stockyard to outside the district. But, the district administration has not given any permission for supplying sand to other districts. Steps have been taken to supply sand to residents as per the demand. The public should not give scope for illegal sand extraction in the district, urged the deputy commissioner.

It may be recalled that following the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) directions to the government on sand extraction in CRZ, Deputy Commissioner Dr Rajendra K V has banned the removal of sand bars from the coastal regulation zone (CRZ) and also the transportation of sand.