The construction sector in the district has come to a near grinding halt for the last three months owing to the ban on sand extraction.
Following the complaints of illegal sand extraction, the district administration had banned sand extraction in order to regularize the process. This had led to a delay in regularization of nearly two lakh people working in the field of construction.
According to Peerpasha Gacchimahal, the district president of Tipper Owners and Drivers Association, hundreds of workers have migrated to neighbouring states and are working for meagre amount for small works.
“The ban has come as a major blow not only to the construction industry but also to the people who are depending on it”, he said.
The association which is demanding the resumption of legalized sand extraction and had been protesting for the last nearly two months, want the district administration to immediately start the extraction.
Meanwhile, speaking to The Hindu, Deputy Commissioner and the chairman of the District Sand Monitoring Committee, D. Randeep said that the of the ten blocks proposed by the district administration, the government has granted permission for six blocks to start extraction.
“Following the objections raised over four blocks, the order is pending”, he said.
Mr. Randeep said that within ten days, the extraction in at least one of the six blocks would begin to meet the immediate requirement.
The extraction could not be started in reaming five due to stagnation of water. “ Once the water dries in those block, we will begin tender process and start extracting the sand”, he said.
Meanwhile, the association has welcomed the decision and urged the district administration not to delay any further to implement the order.
The association however announced that it would not call off their agitation till the official commencement of the sand extraction.
