JOIN USAddressing a news conference on Friday, Sangha State Secretary M Manjunath and District General Secretary Gurushanthappa said that since the mining is going on in large scale using boats and JCBs, the cultivated land near the river faces threat of submergence.
Manjunath said that sand is removed for about 15 feet in the river, which has increased the depth of the river. This may cause threat to people who have to cross the river during rainy season. He said that the steps built from Gonibeedu Agrahara Adi Subramanya temple to the river have been damaged due to the mining activities. Phalguni, Kittalegandi, Mugravalli, Bettadamane, Jogannanakere bridges are also under threat due to the same.
“Geologists have directed to auction the sand deposits in Hemavathi river bed. Since the areas of sand deposits have not been demarcated, the sand mining mafia are trying to misuse the same,” they said and added that they have no objection to mining of sand within the legal framework.
They said that the mining land must be demarcated and sign boards must be put up and the survey number of the land where mining can be done and the extent of the land area must be displayed publicly. They demanded that use of boats and JCBs must be prohibited and if anyone is found violating the rules, their license must be confiscated and said that steps must be taken to see to it that sand in not stored in public places.
DH News Service