Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa while speaking to reporters during his visit to the city
on August 13, Friday, said he was aware of the operation of ‘sand mafia; in and around
the port town. By saying so, the government for the very first time admitted that there
was rampant sand smuggling in the area.
After the recent detection of huge quantity of sand stocked unauthorisedly in the premises
of Vikas College which is under the control of Minister Palemar, the sand mafia that is
active in the district might have possibly come to the notice of the CM.
The unauthorized transportation of sand from the port towns of Mangalore and Karwar
toward the neighbouring states, is not a recent development. It has been going on since
the past several years.
The media too has been often reporting this. However, it would be unbelievable if the
CM until recently was ignorant of this rampant sand smuggling and also the involvement
of several men of the ruling party including the district minister in it. But, the manner
in which Yeddyurappa spoke in the city, gives one the impression that this was the first
time that he came to know of this major problem.
Presently, a Lokayukta probe is underway into the unauthorized sand mining in the
district and the role of the district minister Palemar and other district level officials.
Despite the legal notice served by Palemar to the newspapers which exposed his dark
deeds, the Lokayukta has taken up investigation on the basis of the newspaper reports.
Even the Mangalore tahsildar, Deputy Director of the Department of Mines and Geology
and the Panambur ASP are facing charges of abetting the illegal act.
Probably, the CM on coming to know through is party colleagues and officials, of
the role of the DK minister who is also a real estate businessmen, in this sand mining
business, chose to mention ‘sand mafia’; in the open during his visit to the city. By doing
so, he has defended the reports that appeared in the media in this regard.
What he has to do now is to initiate action against the officials and ruling party politicians
who have stood as a backbone to this sand smuggling.
If there is an allegation that the district minister was behind the rampant sand smuggling
and sand mining in Mangalore ; in Karwar the blame is on the minister there. This is a
case of the fence grazing the crop The CM ought to have taken action against this long
back, Better late than ever.
CM office sources say that the name of Palemar being heard among the names that are
likely to be dropped during the forthcoming cabinet reshuffle was mainly due to his
controversial dealings of late.
Palemar was not seen anywhere close to the CM during his visit to Mangalore. It
were Nalin, Karnik and VSA who were with the Chief Minister. Is this an indication
that Palemar has lost the confidence of the CM and was on the path of exit ?
Palemar neither belongs to the majority community in the district, nor has a hardcore
RSS background. He was given the party ticket free of cost for the reason that he was
a person who doesn’t look back in spending funds. Palemar luckily got elected from
Suratkal constituency when there was no one from the party to contest from there. Since
then there was no looking back for him.
By allowing him to continue as a minister, the CM will not be able to appease any
prominent community. Moreover, there are many in the waiting in the party to take
Palemar’s place. It seems Palemar’s turn is over now.
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