From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Nov 3: Rules are being framed for sand extraction in the coastal districts coming under the Coastal Regulation Zone to ensure adequate availability of sand, Karnataka’s Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra said on Thursday.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, the minister said the State Government has asked a cabinet sub-committee headed by him to re-frame regulations on sand extraction in Coastal Regulation Zone of coastal districts to ensure adequate availability of sand.
With coastal districts, particularly Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts facing severe shortage of sand and badly hampering construction activity, legislators of the region have urged the State Government to relax sand extraction rules to ensure adequate availability of the mineral.
Former Union Minister Oscar Fernandes, Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister B Ramanath Rai, Food and Civil Supplies Minister U T Khader, Minister of State for Fisheries and Sports PramodMadhwaraj, Revenue Minister Kagodu Thimmappa and Minister of State for Mines and Geology Vinay Kulkarni attended the meeting to discuss problems related to extraction of sand in coastal districts.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who a chaired a meeting with legislators and representatives of the coastal districts, said a Cabinet sub-committee headed by Jayachandra to include a legislator from Dakshina Kannada district in the panel.
The panel has been asked to frame rules for relaxing sand extraction in the coastal districts.
The State Government has already framed rules a few months ago and has enforced strict measures for regulating extraction of sands from river-beds in the coastal region.