NewsKarnataka-Karkala

Karkala : The unabated sand mining from the Shambhavi river in Sanoor and the blatant apathy of the authorities towards the same, has given room for suspicion among locals.

According to local residents, sand mining was going on fearlessly in the western direction of the Sanoor old bridge since the past one month. The irony is that  resources are plundered on the pretext of implementing a government scheme.

Presently, the Sanoor-Kuntalpady Road is being developed at a cost of Rs 5.5 crores under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. The project encompasses development of a 4 km road by 15 meter width and the construction of side drains. Of the four km stretch, one km road would be concretised.

It is being said one of the contractors who had participated in the tender process was engaged in sand mining by flouting all rules. Moreover sand is mined using dredger and JCB machinery here as against rules.

However, when contacted Karkala Tahsildar Babu Devadiga said so far there has been no complaint    and added he would secure a report from the revenue inspector.

Niranjan, officer of the Department of Mines and Geology has said  no permission has been granted for sand mining in the river. He also stated that the place would be raided if it comes to light that sand is being mined unauthorisedly.