MANGALORE : Close on the heels of reports of the likely involvement of District in-
charge Minister Krishna Palemar in the illegal ore export case of Belekeri, the minister’s
hand is evident even in the sand mafia in the district.
On July 16, Friday, officials unearthed thousands of tones of unaccounted sand that was
stocked in the grounds of Vikas Group of Institute at Maryhill, owned by Palemar.
Mangalore tahsildar CN Manjunath and Ravindra, officer in Mines and Geology
Department, have raided the place and have seized the illegal sand.
It came to light during the raid that Prabhaschandra Mayya, considered a close associate
of Palemar, had stocked this sand in the about two acre land of the college. However,
Mayya had failed to furnish relevant documents relating to the stocked sand following
which the sand was seized.
This unearthing of illegal sand in the land belonging to Minister has shocked
people.Interstingly, sand shortage has been found close on the heels of the ban on sand
transportation towards Kerala. There has even been an allegation that the builders and
real estate mafia were creating an artificial scarcity of sand by stocking large quantities
of sand over and above their requirements. Now the latest case has proved the minister’s
involvement in the sand mafia.
No sooner the officials raided the place, Palemar’s personal assistant Harish,
Prabhaschandra Mayya and his brother Krishna Kumar made all out efforts to mislead the
officials. Though officials found it difficult to investigate in the presence of the minister’s
PA, they had no other go but to demand them to produce the documents, in the presence
of the scribes.
Prabhaschandra Mayya who first told officials that “2000 tonnes of sand has been
stocked here†later said 1000 tonnes. He also said “We have secured permission for sand
mining at Adyar from the Netravathi River after paying a duty of Rs 10,000 in the year
2009.†He also said the sand was stocked for the construction of the college building. But
the documents he produced revealed that they had permission only to mine 330 tonnes
of sand. He had no other document to prove that the sand stocked in the college grounds
was accounted. Moreover, no construction works were also underway there. Finally
Mayya explained by saying “There are plans to raise construction at some places in the
city and the sand has bee nstocked for this purpose.†He also said “We have lost the
documents permitting us to collect more sand. This is not illegal sand,†but of no avail.
Official stuns scribes
Amid this development, Ravindra, Deputy Director of the Department of Mines and
Geology who seemed more interested in shielding the accused, surprise everyone
by telling scribes so “I will provide all documents pertaining to the sand mining by
Monday. Sometimes, contractors pay the duty for the sand after mining additional
amount of sand. It is owing to this that sometimes rules are not adhered to.†He went on
to say that Prabhaschandra was regular in remitting the duty for sand mining every year.
He also tried to defend the accused by saying anyone can stock sand for personal use if
not for commercial use.
When asked if the officials have not seized sand which was stocked by a businessman
at Bantwal recently, the official said the raid was then done following suspicion that the
sand was smuggled to Kerala.
However, the documents that were ‘lost’ during the raid had appeared during night.
Tahsildar Manjunath has said “Taxes has been paid with regard to 850 tonnes of sand out
of the 1000 tonnes of sand found at the college premises. There are no records for the rest
150 tonnes. Revenue staff have been appointed to see that the seized sand is not shifted
elsewhere.â€
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