MANGALORE: “The District Administration has been successful in putting a brake to the sand smuggling only upto some extent.†This was how Deputy Commissioner V Ponnuraj expressed the administration’s helplessness in cracking down the sand smuggling menace.
Speaking at a review meeting chaired by the District in-charge Secretary BS Ramprasad in the city, the DC said “Some anti-social elements both from Dakshina Kannada and Kerala are behind the sand smuggling from the district to Kerala. Some officials who had taken the initiative in putting a check on this smuggling have been attacked by the sand mafia gangs.â€
“ Though the district administration has taken all possible measures to prevent sand smuggling, it is impossible to curb the smuggling through three to four check-posts here while there were more than 20 entry points to Kerala,†the DC explained.
Profitable business
Meanwhile, Ravindra, Deputy Director of the Department of Mines and Geology says “If one load of sand in Dakshina Kannada costs Rs 2000 it is sold for Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 in Kerala. Therefore, the sand traders by neglecting the sand needs of the district are all the more interested in smuggling sand to Kerala merely from the point of view of profit.â€
It may be noteworthy that there are even allegations that some corrupt officials of the Department of Mines and Geology too were behind this unabated sand smuggling towards Kerala.
Action against illegal red stone quarrying
At the meeting, Ramprasad directed the officials of the Department of Mines and Geology to immediately lodge police complaint if they found any one engaged in red stone quarrying in government lands. Stating that the authorities had been receiving several complaints regarding such unlawful activities, he asked the officials not to give scope for such activities.
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