Karnataka CM to set right sand mining problems

The govt will streamline the issue of permits to truckers for sand transportation in the state

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the government will streamline the issue of permits to truckers for sand transportation in the state.

“We will streamline the issue of giving permits to truckers for sand transportation as I have been receiving far too many complaints on the matter,” he told the Assembly here.

Replying to the issue raised by BJP member Govind Karjol during Question Hour, Siddaramaiah said transporters have agreed to abide by the new Karnataka Minor Mineral Concession (Amendment) Rules 2013, which will curb illegal sand mining and increase revenue to the state exchequer.

He said sand, whose price has shot up to Rs 80,000 to Rs 1 lakh per truck following the recent strike, would be available to people at an affordable price.

The government has also given instructions to checkpost authorities across the state to curb illegal transportation of sand to neighbouring states Kerala and Maharashtra, he said.

New check-posts will also be set up to check illegal sand transportation, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said.

Raising the issue, Karjol sought cut off date for the government to make sand available at affordable rates.  Karjol said the sand is being  sold by charging four times higher price by creating scarcity.

Karjol also said construction work had to come to standstill in the state due to unavailability of sand as a result of this artificial scarcity.

Sand transporters were on a month long strike seeking more permits to transport sand for construction activity and had called it off on January 21 after the government conceded some of their demands after the strike.