Uliyakudru residents urge dist admin to control sand mafia

The residents of Uliyakudru, near Pavoor, staged a protest under the leadership of DYFI in Mangaluru on Thursday urging the district administration to control illegal sand mining in the region.

Addressing the protestors, DYFI State President Muneer Katipalla said that the region Uliya is surrounded by the River Nethravathi and has 58 houses, school, crematorium and a church. A population of 200 reside in the kudru. Due to unabated sand extraction, this small island is facing threat of inundation. The people have been urging the district administration to ban the sand mining.

The deputy commissioner, who visited the place, ordered a ban on sand mining within one kilometre radius of the island. But, later, it was reduced to 500 metres, which the residents of Uliyakudru have been opposing. Also, the official has issued orders to collect sand from the island during the month of November. This is a decision taken under the pressure of sand mafia, he alleged.

Sand mining has been going on without licence under the pretext of collection of sand and completely violating CRZ rules, added Katipalla.

The miners use earthmovers and dredging machines to extract sand. This has created huge pits, which poses danger to children, who go to play in water.

Sand is being transported to Kerala and Bengaluru, where the customers are charged as much as Rs 50,000 for a truckload of sand, while at Uliya, the rate of sand is Rs 3,000 to 5,000 a truck.

‘Corrupt officials’

Muneer alleged that the officials of the Department of Mining and Geology are not initiating any action against the culprits but are following corrupt practices.
In a memorandum submitted to the deputy commissioner, the residents said that the island near Pavoor village in the taluk, fear inundation, due to unabated sand mining. They demanded an extension of the ban on sand mining and movement of boats,
which was earlier effective up to one-kilometre limit around the kudru.

They also urged the official to stop the illegal transportation of sand through Dhakke, Valacchil, Pavoor and Gadigadde Dhakke to other states. Sand lorries whose load of sand is beyond limit should be seized. Stern action should be initiated against those who have been extracting sand in Kudru, with help of earthmovers and dredging machines.

Also, sand is being mined at Adyar village, which has resulted in encroachment of government land, said the protesters, who demanded that a probe should be initiated against the same.

DYFI district president and Corporator Dayanand Shetty, leaders Pramila Shakthinagar, Infant Jesus Church, Uliya, Gurkar Lavina D’Souza CPI(M) leader Vishwanath and residents of Pavooru Uliya took part in the protest.