Government orders CID to probe into illegal sand mining

The State government has ordered the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to probe into the accusation of illegal mining and transport of sand in the Cauvery basin.

A Government Order (GO) to this effect was issued on January 3 this year. Members of the Opposition had alleged in the winter session of the legislature in Belagavi last month that illegal mining and transport of sand was rampant in the Cauvery basin. JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy even accused the Public Works department (PWD) Minister, H C Mahadevappa, of “encouraging” the illegality. The minister then told the House that the CID would probe into the accusation.

The GO says, “The CID has to submit a report within a month to the government after probing into the large-scale transport of sand from Kodagu, Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, Belagavi, Vijayapura and other districts to Kerala and Maharashtra. The transport of sand from Karnataka to other states has been banned.”

Interestingly, the GO does not state as to what the CID should do. It just says that within the stipulated time the report should be submitted. It is unclear whether the CID should investigate any particular case/cases.

Kumaraswamy expressed his doubts over the government authorising the CID to probe into the matter.

“The Congress government manipulated the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) when it was in power at the Centre. It would do the same thing in the State as it has given the case to the CID. We will wait and watch what report the CID submits to the government,” he said on Monday.

Commenting on the CID probe, G R Shanmugappa, president, Federation of Lorry Owners’ and Agents’ Association, said the inquiry would be “of no use” as long as the government did not allow legal mining and transport of sand.

“When the demand is for 10,000 loads of sand, the PWD is giving permits for not more than 500-700 loads of sand a day. But sand is being extracted and transported illegally.

If the government wants to streamline and bring transparency in the sand mining business, it should allow legal business,” he said. According to Shanmugappa, deputy commissioners are well aware of the problems due to the shortage of sand.

Without permits, sand is being transported to the neighbouring states, and Karnataka is also getting sand from Tamil Nadu. “When everything is happening openly, why there should be a CID probe,” he wondered.