JOIN USAct or will lay siege to DC,SPs office: Siddu
Opposition leader Siddaramaiah on Friday set a deadline of one week for the district administration to act against illegal sand mining in the district. Or else, the Congress party will lay siege to the office of deputy commissioner and the superintendent of police.
Addressing media here, Siddaramaiah who sounded tough lambasted the district administration for keeping mum when the State exchequer is losing a minimum of Rs 10 lakh per day in the district in the form of rampant illegal mining at Varuna and T Narsipura assembly constituencies in the district. Varuna is represented in the State legislative assembly by Siddaramaiah, while Dr H C Mahadevappa represents T Narsipura.
Mincing no words, he blamed the unholy nexus of politicians and officers like tahsildar, senior geologist, executive engineer of PWD and of other departments for the rampant illegal activity. However he claimed innocence to a query over whether the medical education and district in-charge minister S A Ramdas also has a role to play in the illegal activity.
What had angered Siddaramaiah more was the supine attitude of the district administration which had made tall claims in a meeting of elected representatives held in December last over the same issue.
Also referring to the Karnataka Development Progress (KDP) review meeting presided over by him at T Narsipura on Thursday, Siddaramaiah said he received nearly 30 complaints over sand mining. When those involved in the illegal mining have been transporting the construction material in broad daylight, Siddaramaiah wondered at the police remaining in deep slumber. The sand is supplied to Bangalore through Mysore, Mandya, Kanakapura and Ramanagar and yet the guardians of law turn a blind eye, mocked Siddaramaiah.
Vexed, Siddaramaiah drew an analogy between the illegal mining of ore in Bellary and sand mining here. In Mysore district too there is a lack of governance.
Dr H C Mahadevappa said the sand cooperatives to extract and supply sand have been formed as an eyewashing tactics. When the sand reserves spread on vast tracts of land have been auctioned to four parties, how can the cooperatives function?, questioned Mahadevappa.
Siddaramaiah said he has planned a democratic way of fighting the illegal sand mining and hence will lay siege to the offices of deputy commissioner and SP if the authorities fail to take a bold step.