Karnataka State Coastal Zone Management Authority, Department of Forest, Environment and Ecology has permitted extraction of sand from eight sand bars in coastal regulation zonal (CRZ) area of the district.
Permission has been given to extract four sand bars from River Papanashini, one from River Swarna and three from River Seetha.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Sadashiva Prabhu said that, according to experts, about 7,96,522 metric tonnes of sand are available in eight sand bars. “As many as 158 traditional sand extractors had applied for permits to extract sand. The district-level committee is verifying the applications and permits will be issued to the eligible,” he added.
He said that the work on installing GPS in boats used for sand extraction was completed. “The proposal on fitting GPS to the trucks transporting sand is being looked into. The sand bars will be geo-fenced. Once the permits are issued, sand extraction will begin in the district. The permit holders should extract sand at the site specified. If they extract sand near bridges, mangroves, then action will be initiated against them, based on the GPS information,” Prabhu
warned.
“Measures will be taken to ensure that the extracted sand is not smuggled from the district. The district administration has fixed Rs 5,500 for 10 tonnes of sand at the stockyard. The transportation cost up to 20 km for small vehicles would be Rs 1,500. Later, it will be charged at Rs 35 a kilometre. The bigger trucks will have to be paid Rs 2,500 up to 20 km and later Rs 50 per km,” the officer explained.
“As no sand extraction has taken place in the district for the past two years, it was decided to give temporary permission for direct selling of sand. After three months, sand will be made available through the ‘Sand Bazar’ app. As per the guidelines, sand should be extracted traditionally by the permit holders without using any machinery,” he added.
The district administration has invited tender for removing silt from Swarna
river.
The available sand extracted will be supplied to sand stockyard and will be distributed among public at a cheaper rate, said Prabhu.