The Udupi Zilla Hoige Doni Karmikara Sangha (Udupi District Sand Boat Workers Association) has said that there is no shortage of sand in the district.
Addressing presspersons here on Wednesday, Lokesh G. Mendon, President of the Association, said that there was manual sand mining going on in 18 clusters in the district. There was both salt water sand extraction near sea and sweet water sand extraction in the district.
The sand extraction was being done manual and traditional manner in the district. It was being monitored by a 26 member District Sand Monitoring Committee.
About 50 per cent of the sand being extracted in the district was being sold in the district, the remaining was being transported to other districts especially Bengaluru.
The movement of the trucks laden with sand was monitored with GPS.
The cost of sand per mini truck was Rs. 1,500.
Those wanting sand in the district could call - 9972304470 and they would be provided with sand from licence holding sand extractors from one of the 18 clusters.
“There is no shortage of sand,” he said.
Annual turnover
The annual turnover due to sand extraction in the district was estimated at around Rs. 24 crore.
In 2015-16, sand extraction in the district was expected to provide Rs. 6 crore to the State’s exchequer. Nearly 25 per cent of this amount (of Rs. 6 crore) would be provided to the gram panchayats concerned, where the extraction was taking place, Mr. Mendon said.
On instances of alleged illegal sand mining reported near Brahmavar, Mr. Mendon said that no such instance had come to the notice of the Association.
Uday Poojary, vice-president of the association, Joseph D’Souza, Treasurer, and Yogish Shanbhag, general secretary, were present.
