Sand extraction: 30 farmers arrested and released by Police

Police arrested more than 30 members of Raitha Sangha when they resorted to lifting sand from Rive Cauvery, at Basavapattana, in Arkalgud taluk, Hassan district, on Friday.

However, they were released later. Raitha Sangha members, who gathered at Belavadi circle at 11.30 am, staged a protest, when the police denied them permission to hold a dharna.

Irked, the farmers objected the police action, and were adamant about lifting sand from the river bed. They took out a procession of bullock carts near the government hospital up to old gram panchayat office. They blocked the road for a while there. Later, when they tried to reach the river via Kaluveyamma temple, the police intervened and stopped them from moving ahead.

Konanur sub-inspector explained that lifting sand was against the law, and hence permission would not be given. Thirty farmers were arrested, when they tried to go ahead with their threat.

Farmer leader T Huchchappa said that the government was creating problems for the general public by banning sand extraction. Hundreds of construction works, including construction of government toilets and houses had been stalled because of this.

He attacked the taluk administration for involving in "illegal" trade of sand. "Some lobbyists are extracting sand from Hemavathy and Cauvery river and transporting it to Bengaluru. Police officials too are hand in glove with them," he alleged.

Raitha Sangha President Yoganna said that the concerned authorities had been requested to open a sand centre in the taluk. After the farmers resorted to the protest, the tahsildar had convened a sand adalat in a hurry in Sakleshpur and assured that a sand centre would be set up.

"But, it is impossible to travel 100 km to get sand, hence a sand centre should be opened in the taluk," he said, adding that they would intensify the protests, if their demands are not met.