Advice to wash sand
Those constructing buildings along the coast should be happy that they are getting river sand at Rs. 3,500 to Rs. 5,000 per load depending upon the quality of sand, whereas a truckload costs not less than Rs. 60,000 in Bengaluru.
However, it is not sure whether people are aware that the sand sold in the coastal area is salty.
The sand extracted in the coastal regulatory zone is invariably from the saline river water bed.
And the process is officially called dredging, to pave the way for the easy movement of boats and not sand extraction.
Revealing this in a recent meeting here, Deputy Commissioner A.B. Ibrahim also noted that the sand needed to be washed to remove its salinity before using it for construction.
Concern over unhealthy living
So how should one maintain a healthy lifestyle to keep diseases away? Health and Family Welfare Minister U.T. Khader bemoaned the fact that people were not serious about their health.
At a function at Shiroor in Udupi district on Saturday, Mr. Khader said that people should get up early in the morning daily. “After offering your prayers, go for a walk for half-an-hour. Eat moderately. This will keep most of the diseases away,” he said to applause from the audience.
“People don’t mind waiting for 25 minutes in a hotel after placing an order. But they cannot wait for over five minutes when they come to hospitals for a medical check-up,” he said to an uproarious laughter.
— ANIL KUMAR SASTRY
and GANESH PRABHU
