<p class="title">The Thippagondanahalli Reservoir (TGR) bed is witnessing unabated illegal sand mining as the authorities concerned have failed to take any action to check this.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The reservoir comes under the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) jurisdiction. Access to the surrounding area is restricted and entry without permission is prohibited.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The miners seem to have carved a road to the reservoir, axing many trees in the process. This has also loosened the soil around the natural vegetation.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Vijay Nishanth, a city-based conservationist, told <span class="italic"><em>DH</em></span> that the sand extraction seemed to be happening for some time, which had caused a loss of habitation to many birds in the area.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We received some photographs from a local resident who narrated how the sand is being extracted and transported outside," Nishanth added.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The BWSSB local engineer at the TGR said the board learnt about the sand extraction a few months ago through the media.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The engineer said that they had written to the tahsildar as well as the Department of Mines and Geology in September but were yet to receive any response. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Miscreants may be entering the reservoir bed during the night to extract the soil, he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The local police are also unaware of sand mining.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Venkatesh, sub-inspector, Tavarekere police station, said he had not received any complaints about sand mining at the TGR.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The BWSSB top brass, including the chief engineer and the chairman, is also unaware of the activity.</p>
<p class="title">The Thippagondanahalli Reservoir (TGR) bed is witnessing unabated illegal sand mining as the authorities concerned have failed to take any action to check this.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The reservoir comes under the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) jurisdiction. Access to the surrounding area is restricted and entry without permission is prohibited.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The miners seem to have carved a road to the reservoir, axing many trees in the process. This has also loosened the soil around the natural vegetation.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Vijay Nishanth, a city-based conservationist, told <span class="italic"><em>DH</em></span> that the sand extraction seemed to be happening for some time, which had caused a loss of habitation to many birds in the area.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We received some photographs from a local resident who narrated how the sand is being extracted and transported outside," Nishanth added.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The BWSSB local engineer at the TGR said the board learnt about the sand extraction a few months ago through the media.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The engineer said that they had written to the tahsildar as well as the Department of Mines and Geology in September but were yet to receive any response. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Miscreants may be entering the reservoir bed during the night to extract the soil, he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The local police are also unaware of sand mining.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Venkatesh, sub-inspector, Tavarekere police station, said he had not received any complaints about sand mining at the TGR.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The BWSSB top brass, including the chief engineer and the chairman, is also unaware of the activity.</p>