New sand policy in district after two months

The delay is due to lack of preparedness of PWD, clarifies Deputy Commissioner

However, sand extraction by private persons is stopped from Friday.
The sand policy came into effect in all the districts except in the Mysore district. In fact, Mysore is one of the districts which had the dubious distinction of having a maximum number of illegal sand extraction units.

Illegal units

The officials confirmed that there was more number of illegal units than the licenced units. However, the hands of the district administration are tied because of a mafia behind this illegal trade. The departments concerned were not in a position to check these illegal activities because of political patronage.

Deputy Commissioner Harsh Gupta told Deccan Herald that in the present situation, the PWD was not in a position to take up the new responsibility till strengthening of the administrative mechanism.

CCTV cameras

They need to procure men and machinery to extract sand, set up weigh bridges and install CCTV cameras at all the extraction and storage points.

Besides, there is a need to strengthen the check posts at various entry and exit points for which the departments of police and revenue need extra staff. The process of deploying additional staff has started.

Till all the arrangements are in order, it would not be possible for the PWD to execute its job effectively and efficiently.

“In my view, it may take at least one or two months to implement the new sand policy”, he added.

Sand extraction stopped

He said even though, the new sand policy would come into effect after one or two months, the sand extraction in all places has been stopped from today. Instructions are issued to all taluk-level officers to ensure that there was no sand extraction activities in their respective jurisdiction and action should be taken on those who flout the rules.

Since the new policy has been implemented by the government the licences issued by the departments concerned stand null and void from Friday. No person, despite having licence, is not supposed to extract or sell the sand.

Any violation attracts punitive action.

Gupta admitted that despite series of raids on illegal sand extraction units still it has been going on stealthily in many places.

Surprise raid

In some places, almost all the villagers are involved in manual lifting of sand. It would continue after the surprise raid by the officials of various departments.

In some places, sand extraction goes on during night also, he said adding that the new policy is expected to put an end to illegal sand extraction activities and make this trade fool-proof.