From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Sep 4: The three coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada will be having a separate sand mining policy.
The State Cabinet, which met with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah presiding in Bengaluru on Monday, formally approved the separate sand mining policy for the three districts.
The sand mining policy sets out rules for sand extraction in non-Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) areas in coastal districts by traditional sand miners.
Families in the coastal districts, who are residents of gram panchayat for 10 years and have been engaged in extracting sand for the last five years are eligible to sand mining in non-CRZ areas.
Briefing reporters after the State Cabinet meeting, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra said the policy was formulated to regulate sand mining and tackling illegal sand extraction in these districts.
He said families involved in tradition business of sand mining can extract sand with permission from taluk and district level officials certifying their residential address and occupation.
The policy also envisages identification of places for collection of extracted sand, the minister explained.
The policy was drafted by a Cabinet sub-committee headed by Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T.B. Jayachandra.
Those favouring a separate sand policy argued that sand mining had become difficult and prices started skyrocketing in the coastal region after the National Green Tribunal cancelled extraction permits in the CRZ.
They maintained that traditional sand miners have been affected and, hence, a separate mining policy for non-CRZ areas in coastal parts was required.
Due to an increase in the cost of land acquisition in Bengaluru, the State cabinet on Monday approved an additional Rs 2,187 crore for acquisition of land for the second phase of the Namma Metro.
The cabinet meeting also approved the additional allocation for the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) project for expediting land acquisition.
The 18.82 km R V Road to Bommasandra stretch of Phase II will pass through Jayanagar and Marenahalli Road before reaching Silk Board Junction.
Jayachandra said the total cost of land acquisition in the second phase would be Rs 6,293 crore.