100 blocks identified for sand mining in State

The government has begun the tendering process for awarding works for mining sand from river fronts in the State, Minister for Public Works Department H C Mahadevappa has said.

With as many as 100 blocks identified by the PWD for resuming sand mining, he said it would take at least 20 days for the completion of the tendering process and move sand from river fronts to yards and to various locations.

He said that in Mysore, Mandya and along the banks of Tungabhadra, seven thousand loads of illegally mined sand had been seized. Orders had been passed to sell the seized sand through auction.

He said that with Bangalore Urban and Rural, Kolar, Chikkaballapur and Ramanagara being a ‘no-sand mining zone’, there was an increasing demand for sand for development works in these districts. He said Bangalore alone required an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 loads of sand everyday. The minister said the government was considering the possibility of mining sand from lakes in these five districts.

On the Nice corridor, he said the government would take a stand only after interpreting the Supreme Court order on the issue.

Meanwhile, the PWD is exploring the possibility of expanding the Bangalore-Mysore highway to an eight-lane road. With the government having petitioned the Centre for granting a national highway status to the road, the State is preparing a detailed project report. 

“We are expecting the Centre to declare the National Highway tag to the road by February,” he said.

Mahadevappa said that henceforth the Public Works Department would not allow demolition of walls in the Vidhana Soudha.

He admitted that there were previous instances of ministers demolishing walls at the Vidhana Soudha for expanding their chambers. “However, we will ensure strict action against people who do it in the future,” he said.