Sand available at affordable prices from Sept 20

MLA Raghupathy Bhat said that the sand problem will be sorted out as the district administration had been working on offering three units of sand at Rs 5,500.

The legislator told reporters on Thursday that the district administration had contacted the sand extractors in CRZ (coastal regulation zonal) area and they had agreed to the price fixed by the district administration. The price was affordable and people can now heave a sigh of relief, he claimed.

Bhat said that the BJP government is concerned about the sand crisis in the district and had taken steps to resolve it. “Official apathy and inaction by the coalition government had ensured that sand was not within the reach of common man,” he alleged and

“Sand extraction will begin in CRZ areas from September 15. By September 20, sand will be available at affordable price to the consumers. About 171 licence holders will extract sand in Udupi district and 8.7 lakh metric tonnes of sand will be available in CRZ areas,” he said.

On the restrictions against sand extraction activity in eco-sensitive zones in Kundapur and Byndoor taluks, Bhat said that the state government had written to the Centre seeking permission for sand extraction in these areas.

Elaborating over the approval of the permits to extract sand, Bhat said that the Karnataka State Coastal Zone Management Authority had granted licence to 171 applicants, who were permitted to extract sand until February 2020. “Around two lakh metric tonnes of sand are available in CRZ area,” he stated.

Bhat, responding to deputy commissioner’s orders on ending sand mining in some areas owing to the eco-sensitivity, said that a seven-member committee was formed in the district and the licence holders had to submit affidavits to the administration that there would be no damage to the environment during the extraction of sand.

“Thus there will be no further delay in the sand extraction and everything will be carried out legally,” he assured.