Alleging that illegal sand extraction has been going unabated in the district, H.S. Prakash, Hassan MLA, said he will hit the streets with his supporters to stop sand trucks if officers failed to act soon.
Addressing a press conference in Hassan on Saturday, Mr. Prakash said hundreds of trucks had been carrying sand to different places from district. However, the poor were not getting even a tractor-load of sand for construction work.
“Three or four truckloads of sand are being transported from Sakleshpur on one permit. Officers are allowing the illegal transportation of sand. The police have also failed to stop such illegal activities,” he said. He demanded that the administration provide sand to the poor and ensure that all those who applied for sand get it on time. Further, he said, if the officers failed to take corrective measures, he would go on to the streets with his supporters and stop trucks that carry sand without permits.
Drought relief
The MLA demanded that the government provide at least Rs. 5 crore for drought relief work in each constituency. “As of now, the government has provided only Rs. 60 lakh per constituency. The amount is insufficient to address the immediate needs of the people. The amount should be increased to Rs. 5 crore,” he said.
