Policy against sand mining in a week
If only people presumed the minister was not in the know of sand mining taking place in the district till now!
Medical Education and District In-charge Minister S A Ramdas who set out on Friday pre-dawn hours, accompanied by additional SP P Venkataswamy, stopped first near Megalapura on T Narsipuraroad. Much before the Minister’s entourage arrived, T Narsipura Tahsildar Shylaja was waiting at the spot.
The minister instructed the cops to intercept lorries, as he had an information that most of the lorries transport sand through the same route. Accordingly, when the cops stopped four lorries, they were shocked to know none had permits and were also overloaded. What’s more shocking was one among the drivers was a minor. Upon enquiry, it came to know that he was just 15 years old.
It was enough for the minister’s eyes to turn red and ordered the cops to forfeit the vehicles and register cases against them. The Minister later visited T Narsipur and Talkad, but did not step out.
At Kukkur and Hemmige villages, the Minister could witness laxity on the part of officers.
When the minister stopped at Hemmige while returning to Mysore, he found people indulging in transporting sand in coracles near a mini hydel power plant.
Seeing the Minister himself on the bank of the river, along with a posse of cops, the perpetrators had no other option than rowing their coracles to another side. They found cover behind an island in the water.
Sand Policy
Speaking to media, Ramdas announced that he would bring out uniform Sand Policy in a week (as applicable to the district). On sand mining in Mysore district the minister said there were many complaints against this, forcing him to make a surprise visit. Though the district administration has auctioned places to lift sand for `19 crore, a court has stayed it following an appeal.
Committee
Ramdas said the racket has reached unforeseen heights and it is high time some concrete actions are initiated. A Committee will be constituted under the leadership of Home Minister R Ashoka and an uniform policy will be brought out across the State.
He accepted failure on the part of the police too and defended that they also have to maintain law and order.
This apart inadequate number of check posts could also be a reason for increasing sand mining, he said.