State contemplating new sand mining policy

The Karnataka govenment was contemplating to frame a new sand mining policy to regulate the exploitation of the construction material, Karnataka Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda said on Monday.

Karnataka Minister for Public Works C M Udasi will soon convene a meeting of floor leaders of all parties to seek their views on the proposed policy,Gowda informed the assembly while replying to the issue of hardship caused to construction activity following suspension of sand mining in some parts of the state including in Mysore district.

Opposition Congress leader Siddaramaiah, H S Shankaralinge Gowda (BJP), H D Revanna (JD-S) and others who raised the issue during zero hour told the government that thousands of workers have been thrown out of the job and prices of sand has skyrocketted in the state. The Chief Minister said at the district level, Deputy Commissioners have been authorised to hold discussions with elected represantatives and solve the probelm.

Shankaralinge Gowda rushed into the well of the House, demanding immediate solution to the sand mining workers problem and even threatended that he would strangulate himself with his shawl, that he usually sports. Siddaramaiah and Minister for Law S Suresh Kumar pacified him after which the ruling party MLA withdrew his brief dharna.

Gowda also assured that he will holding parleys with the striking Pre-University College teachers in the evening to end the five-day-old strike.

The teachers have been agitating demanding rectification of pay anomalies. Gowda said the official committee set up to look into pay discrepancies has been asked to submit report by March next, by the time of which another committee completes its work on revision of pay to government employees.