'Issue sand mining licence only through auction process'

Addressing a meeting of the Sand Auction Task Force held at the Deputy Commissioner’s Office here on Thursday, Gowda said that license should be issued through auction process as present permits have no date validity.
He directed officials to make arrangements to conduct auction. He asked the tahsildar and Mines and Geology Department officials to inspect the sand mining auction sites and submit reports within 15 days. A final meeting with regard to the auction will be held on December 8, Gowda said.

Mines and Geology Department senior scientist V G Alfanis brought to the notice of the meet that there is provision to renew licence to the contractors with 10 per cent hike in the previous auction rate.
However, Assistant Commissioner Dr N Shivashankar and Tahsildar Devaraju informed that some sites were auctioned at very low price in the previous year’s auction process.

Alfanis said that police, revenue and forest department officials also should co-operate to check the illegal transportation of sand to Kerala. Superintendent of Police Manjunath Annigeri assured that the department would take necessary steps to prevent illegal transportation of sand to Kerala.

Additional DC Chandregowda, Regional Transport Commissioner Mohammed Habibulla, Assistant Conservator of Forests Lakshman and other officials were present.