Sand extraction in non-CRZ areas to resume by Oct 15

With the identification of sand blocks in progress, sand mining activities will resume in the non-CRZ areas in the district by October 15, Udupi District In-charge Minister Jayamala has assured on Wednesday.

She told reporters after presiding over the quarterly KDP meeting that the problems related to sand extraction in the district were discussed with the chief minister.

“Three blocks have been identified. Instructions have been given to officials on identifying additional blocks. The traditional sand extractors will be entrusted with the task of mining sand. The sand would be distributed on priority to houses being constructed under government-sponsored housing schemes,” she stressed.

Yards will be identified in gram panchayats and sand will be distributed. As regards sand extraction in CRZ areas, the district administration is awaiting a report from NITK experts, who are likely to submit a report by October 5, she added.

The minister said that five mobile anganwadi centres will be sanctioned to the district for the children of migrant workers. The state government was planning to launch 100 mobile anganwadi centres across the state. Through these mobile centres children of migrant and construction workers will learn about basic sanitation and hygiene.

She added that the NHAI and contractors had been directed to complete the projects within a specific deadline. The service roads as part of four-laning of NH 66 will be completed shortly. The work on NH 66 at Karavali Junction in Udupi will be completed by December.

Jayamala said that a meeting of the sugarcane farmers was planned in order to explore the possibilities of reviving the Brahmavar sugar factory.

Elaborating on the compensation offered to flood victims, Jayamala said that the government had released Rs 14.54 crore to Panchayat Raj (Rs 3.75 crore) and PWD (Rs 8.63 crore) among others.

She said that up to 7,600 hectares of arecanut plantation all over Udupi district was affected by fruit rot disease in the district.

“Measures have been initiated to replace wooden planks with fibre planks in order to impound more water during summer,” she added.

To a query, the minister said Udupi Deputy commissioner Priyanka Mary Francis had sought the help of Karnataka Engineering Research Centre (KERC) to study reasons for depletion in water level in surface water resources in the district.