Karnataka - Mysore   

Elections come as a boon to illegal sand miners

— PHOTO: M.A. SRIRAM

Looting resources: People lifting sand in the Kapila basin.

MYSORE: The Lok Sabha elections has come as a blessing in disguise for sand contractors, who are excavating sand from the river basins of Cauvery, Kapila and Lakshmanateertha.

Taking advantage of the deputation of officials for poll-related duties, sand contractors are carrying out sand mining recklessly while the authorities are watching it helplessly. A few honest officers, who dared to question the illegal sand mining, are being attacked by “miscreants”. “Sand contractors are making hay while the sun shines,” a senior officer in Department of Mines and Geology (DoMG), said.

Despite environmentalists and human rights activists repeatedly drawing public attention to the possible ecological impact owing to indiscriminate mining of sand in Mysore and Chamarajanagar districts, no action has been taken to curb it.

According to sources, M.S. Subrahamanya, a geologist, was allegedly attacked by miscreants at Akkur village in T. Narsipur taluk, which is being considered as “sand trove” in the region, when he tried to seize a boat used in sand mining, which was hidden in a bush by the sand miners. Attempts were also made on the lives of officials in Mullur and Kempayyanahundi villages.

Residents of Indavalu, Yedatore, Gargeshwari, Kendanakopplu, Hiriyur, Madapura, Hemmige, Kukkur, Akkur, Mavinahalli and surrounding areas of Talakad hobli in T. Naraipur accuse that neither the State Government nor the district administration was taking the issue seriously despite protests by them.

Recently, residents of Kakkur in Talakad hobli launched an agitation against illegal sand mining in 40 acres of area on the banks of the Cauvery. They alleged that despite the Union Government prohibiting sand mining activity in and around temples of Kakkur, Mavinahalli and Hemmige, mining activity was rampant in the region and that the authorities were refusing to act against illegal miners. “If the authorities do not stop illegal sand mining, our village will be marooned in the coming monsoon” says Raje Gowda of Kakkur.

Residents of Kakkur complained that despite the revenue authorities clamping prohibitory orders under Section 144 in one km vicinity of the Cauvery and Kapila bridges, contractors were mining sand recklessly and the authorities were not acting against them. They allege that the police were not acting against the mining and transportation of sand because of the political patronage enjoyed by the mining lords. “Elections have come in handy for the authorities. They attribute the increase in illegal mining activity to the lack of staff,” said Chandrappa of Mulluru village.

According to a senior geologist in the DoMG , there had been significant increase in the sand mining since the beginning of 1990s following a boom in construction activity in several areas of Mysore and Chamarajanagar districts after court restriction on sand mining came in to effect in Kerala in 1994. “On learning about illegal mining in Mudukutore and Medini villages, we have warned them, but sand contractors are continuing their activities. Lack of staff has become a hurdle to contain activity. Meanwhile, residents in a few places are also lifting the sand by using “Kuppariges” (steel coracles),” said Rajesh, geologist in DoMG.

Responding to a query on rampant sand mining in prohibited areas, Assistant Commissioner, Mysore, Gurneet Tej said that revenue authorities could only clamp prohibitory orders to check illegal activity. But it was the duty of the police to make that effective.

Admitting to sand mining in some prohibited areas, she said that stern steps would be taken to curb the “menace” after elections.

Understanding seriousness of the issue, Deputy Commissioner P. Manivannan has convened a meeting of officials of the zilla panchayat, police, revenue, transport, mines and geology, public works and survey departments on May 18 to chalk out action plan to put an end to illegal sand mining activity in the district.

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