Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (HB)

Udupi, May 27: Udupi Block Congress Committee president Satish Amin Padukere spoke at a press meet held at Udupi press club here on Wednesday, May 27. In the press meet, he accused officials, contractors and politicians of minting money in the name of dredging and illegally mining sand at Swarna river while the nation is in such a critical situation.

He said that a committee was formed consisting of 14 members from different departments to call for tender for desilting at Baje dam before the monsoon. Initially, a tender was passed to contractor Gokuldas Shetty, later it was cancelled and handed over to Mangaluru's Yojaka organization which is said to be in the blacklist, without providing a valid reason for cancellation. He said that the tender process violated the rules and was illegal.

The Committee which is chaired by the district commissioner formulated regulations to monitor the work. It said, the mining and geology department would have to invest funds by itself to install checkpost, PTZ camera with a pole, solar panel with battery, P2P, and appoint security staff at the place to monitor the functioning. It should be done through Nirmithi Kendra.

According to the norms, the sand mined should be stored in designated sand yard or riverbank. But in the case of Swarna river, thousands of loads are marketed illegally and money is earned from this scam. The committee and contractors failed to follow any rules, and therefore, the public in the locality have raised complaints with the district authority.

Satish said, "The contractors and officials have misused the lockdown period in the name of dredging. They have looted crores of money with the help of local politicians."

The president demanded the district administration to seize all the sand yards where the sand was stored illegally. He said that required evidence is collected to prove the illegal business taking place and demanded to conduct a fair investigation on the complaints.

The Block Congress Committee released a pen drive containing evidence of illegal sand mining and sites where sand is stored illegally.

They demanded stern action against officials, contractors, politicians and people’s representatives and those involved in the illegal sand mining.

CMC councillor Ramesh Kanchan, Vijay Poojary from Bailur ward, DCC general secretary Janardhan Bhandarkar and Youth Congress president Prashanth Poojary and others were present.