Latest news with #non-CRZ
Time of India
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Ex minister B Ramanath Rai urges BJP MLAs to address sand, laterite shortage
Representative Image MANGALURU: Former Minister B Ramanath Rai on Wednesday urged BJP legislators from Dakshina Kannada to stop politicising the ongoing shortage of sand and laterite stones in the district and instead make sincere efforts to resolve the crisis. Addressing mediapersons, Rai said the royalty levied on laterite stone extraction needs to be reviewed, as per the long-standing demand of those involved in the sector. 'Karnataka currently charges Rs 282 per tonne as royalty, while in neighbouring Kerala it is just Rs 32 per tonne. A reduction in royalty could ease the shortage significantly,' he said. Rai accused the BJP MLAs of shifting blame to the Congress-led state govt to cover up their own failures. 'It was the previous BJP govt that failed to issue permits for sand extraction in non-CRZ areas. This inaction is the root cause of the current sand crisis,' he alleged. Calling for urgent action, he said the district administration must expedite the process of floating tenders and issuing permits for sand blocks in non-CRZ zones to alleviate the shortage. 'I am confident that the Congress govt will resolve this at the earliest. I have already raised the issue with the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the District Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao and requested necessary steps to ensure construction workers and labourers do not suffer,' Rai added. He clarified that the Congress govt has not introduced any policy that restricts the extraction of sand or laterite stones.
The Hindu
15-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Civil contractors urge government to address scarcity of sand, laterite stone in Dakshina Kannada
The scarcity of sand and laterite stone has virtually brought construction activities across the district to a standstill, stressed the Civil Contractors' Association, Mangaluru, on Tuesday, and urged the State government to address the issue. Association president Mahabala Kottari stated that contractors were unable to procure quality sand from Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) areas due to legal hurdles. For a month, the police and district officials have restricted the supply of laterite stone extracted from patta lands. The police have also prevented the supply of laterite stone coming from other districts in the State and from Kerala, Mr. Kottari alleged. Apart from construction labourers, the lives of those relying on the extraction and supply of sand and laterite stones were in jeopardy, he said. Association vice-president Dinakar Suvarna said contractors are concerned about environmental protection. 'We want the district administration to take steps to protect the environment while easing the rules in making sand and laterite stone available at an affordable cost.' By seeking relaxation in norms, the association was not favouring indiscriminate extraction of sand and laterite stones, Mr. Suvarna asserted. 'No scarcity' Ruling out reports of scarcity of sand and laterite stone in Dakshina Kannada, an official from the Mines and Geology Department said a sufficient quantity of medium and coarse sand was available in 21 sand blocks in the non-CRZ area. People can book sand by accessing throughout the day. In July, 60 orders for about 10 metric tonnes each were booked. The official said a sufficient quantity of laterite stones extracted from 10 patta lands was available. The permission granted for the extraction of laterite stone in 320 patta lands has expired, he said.
Hans India
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Coast sand and stone crisis: Locals blame mafia, policy paralysis
Mangaluru: In coastal Karnataka, natural resources like sand, laterite, and gravel—once abundantly available for local construction—have turned into contested commodities. What locals once viewed as their rightful share of the region's natural wealth is now at the centre of a spiralling resource crisis, allegedly driven by political interests and unchecked commercial exploitation. Much like how Ballari's mineral-rich lands became synonymous with iron ore and Kolar with gold, the coastal belt's bedrock—its sandbanks and laterite deposits—has emerged as a resource hotspot. However, as large-scale extraction began catering to demands from Bengaluru and neighbouring Kerala, allegations of an entrenched 'sand mafia' have begun to surface. Residents say that the regulatory clampdown on local sand extraction—especially in areas not falling under the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ)—has ironically created a scarcity in the region, driving up construction costs and putting pressure on daily-wage labourers dependent on the industry. 'Earlier, three units of sand would cost around ₹3,000, including royalty charges. Today, it has touched ₹20,000,' said Athaulla Jokatte, a top functionary of the Social Democratic Party of India in Mangaluru. According to him, the royalty per unit, once ₹350, has surged to ₹1,800, with no corresponding access to local resources. While tenders have been floated for sand extraction in non-CRZ areas such as Adyar, Gurupura, Shambhoor, Moodbidri, Puttur, Uppinangady, Belthangady, Siddakatte, and Sullia, administrative approvals have reportedly been withheld. This has led to growing frustration among local builders and workers alike, who now face difficulty sourcing essential materials within the district. 'There is an irony here,' said a civic activist in Moodbidri. 'The very sand from our riverbeds is being trucked out to other districts and states, while locals are denied access. The system is punishing us with high prices and stalled work, just because we're not part of the political supply chain.' Jokatte said. Environmental safeguards, particularly those concerning the CRZ Act, remain vital for long-term ecological stability, say officials. But critics argue that selective enforcement and lack of a clear, scientific extraction policy for non-CRZ areas have created a vacuum ripe for this, there is a rising public demand for the district administration to revisit its policies. Civil society groups have called for minimal royalty rates, regulated extraction in non-sensitive areas, and a halt to the indiscriminate export of resources outside the region. What began as a regulatory exercise to protect the coast has now become, many allege, a political economy of control. As coastal Karnataka's development hinges on infrastructure, affordable housing, and sustainable employment, many believe the region must reclaim both access and accountability over its natural wealth.
