Udupi: As the district is facing acute shortage of sand, one family which is completely dependent on sand extraction for a living has requested the Deputy Commissioner to grant them permission to die, here on Thursday, March 28.

The person who has taken such an extreme decision is Raghavendra.

For the past four years, Raghavendra and family have been dependent on sand extraction. Raghavendra had four tippers and 12 labourers working under him. But from the past three years, the district has been facing an acute shortage of sand and the implementation of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Act has taken away the source of income from several families like that of Raghavendra.

Under the CRZ Act-Prohibited activities, point number 8, it clearly states that mining of sand, rocks and other sub-strata materials are prohibited.

Raghvendra, who was under an impression that the prohibition would be revoked one or the other day, has sold all the three tippers that he had, due to which he is now under financial crisis. The one tipper he has left is also causing him problems as there is a Rs 7 lakh loan on it, which he has to repay.

With no way out, he has written a letter to the Deputy Commissioner Hephsiba Rani Korlapati to grant him and his family the permission to die.

He also shed tears in a press meet that he addressed, here today.

Meanwhile, the people who are dependent on sand have criticised the central government for not amending the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Act, even after MLA Raghupati Bhat from the Bharatiya Janata Party had made several requests for it.

They have also accused the district administration and especially the DC, for not acting promptly towards fulfilling their demands, despite all the powers given to her by the state government.

The people in sand business have opined that because of the rigidity shown by the district administration and both the state and the Centre, the illegal sand extraction has become rampant.

They have expressed concern that this is an alarming situation and urged the district administration to act swiftly to meet the demands of the family who are completely dependent on sand business, citing that thousands of people are left with no job and money.