The State government, bowing to pressure from the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party and the Janata Dal (Secular) in the Legislative Assembly, on Thursday, agreed to constitute a study team to examine all aspects of sand extraction.
Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs T.B. Jayachandra said the government was prepared to order a CID probe into illegal transportation of sand from the State to Kerala. He said the terms of reference of the study team would be announced soon.
This comes against the demand from the Opposition parties to constitute a House Committee to probe sand extraction issues.
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While the BJP, dissatisfied with Mr. Jayachandra’s reply on the House Committee, staged a walkout, the JD(S) members trooped into the well of the House to protest against the statement.
Earlier, JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy accused the government of supporting a “mafia” in sand extraction and transportation to Kerala. He noted that against the annual demand of 23 lakh tonnes of sand in the State, only 8.5 lakh tonnes were available. Of the 1,540 sand blocks, only 640 were operational, he said.
Replying to this, Mr. Jayachandra said production of manufactured sand (M-sand) was being encouraged in a big way in the State to tide over the shortage of riverbed sand. Admitting that sand shortage had hit infrastructure development, he said the government had issued licence to 54 units to start M-sand production. The House plunged into chaos when Mr. Kumaraswamy alleged Minister for Public Works H.C. Mahadevappa’s role in sand business.
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