Sand distribution from February 9, says DC

Stockyards set up at Mudigere, Sringeri and Koppa

To solve the problem of shortage of sand, stockyards have been set up at Mudigere, Sringeri and Koppa. As per the new sand policy, the district administration will start distributing sand for construction works from February 9, Deputy Commissioner B S Shekarappa said. 

Briefing reporters, on Friday, he said sand will be distributed at Koppa Sringeri and N R Pura Taluk on February 9 and Mudigere, Chikkamagaluru, Kadur and Tarikere taluks from February 11.

The registration for the demand of sand will commence from February 7. The price of sand would be Rs 850 per cubic metre. After looking into the expenditure, the price will be revised.  

Follow guidelines

Sand blocks have been identified on the banks of river Hemavathi at Angadi, Uduse, G Agrahara, Hireshigara, Kanachooru, Donagudu, Chokkodige, Chimatagere, Jogannakere, Hanthooru in Mudigere, Addagadde-1, Addagadde-2, Halandooru in Sringeri taluk, Thammadavalli, Bomlapura, and Bhuvanakote in Koppa taluk. Three lakh cubic metre sand has been stored in the last two years. 

Sand excavator, and other machineries can not be used for sand mining. The sand should be extracted as per the guidelines issued by the environment department.

The stockyards have been opened at Bettadamane, Mudigere tourist bunglow, Hireshigara in Mudigere, Hariharapura Nadakacheri in Koppa and Menase in Sringeri taluk, the DC said. 

Stating that tender was invited for sand extraction in January, the DC said that as the contractors had shown less than the SR rate, the tender was cancelled and the district administration decided to extract sand through PWD and Nirmithi Kendra.

The sand will be stored in the stock yard to ensure that the availability of sand is continuous even during monsoon. All the 562 sand transporting vehicles including tractor and lorries have been fitted with GPRS facility. Action will be initiated against the owner and driver of the vehicles, if the GPRS is disconnected and engage in illegal activities, he warned.  

As per the new sand policy, to avail sand, the public should furnish ID card (PAN card/Aadhaar card/Voters ID/ration card/driving license), construction permit, blue print of the building and letter from the official concerned. 

Registration

For the registration, the public should visit PWD Assistant Executive Engineer’s office. The contractors who are taking up the work of various government departments in Mudigere, Chikkamagaluru, Kadur and Tarikere taluks should collect sand from Hireshigara stockyard.

Those from Koppa, Sringeri and N R Pura taluks should collect it from Hariharapura Nadakacheri and Menase. The contractors will get SMS alert from the authorities citing the date for collection of sand.