D K Civil Contractors’ Association to Protest on 10 Nov for Non-Availability of Sand
Mangaluru: Accusing the State government of not showing any interest in making sand for construction activity available, the Dakshina Kannada Civil Contractors’ Association will protest on Friday 10 November from 3 pm till 4:30 pm near Town Hall, Mangaluru. for the non-availability of sand. In CRZ areas, environment clearance is awaited from the Karnataka Coastal Zone Management Authority for extraction from the sand blocks identified by the Dakshina Kannada district administration.
Addressing the media persons during a press meet in Mangaluru, association president Mahabala Kottary said it is over six months since the Dakshina Kannada district administration failed to allow the extraction of sand from rivers in the coastal regulatory zone (CRZ) and non-CRZ areas. In CRZ areas, environment clearance is awaited from the Karnataka Coastal Zone Management Authority for extraction from the sand blocks identified by the Dakshina Kannada district administration. While permits have been issued for the extraction of sand in non-CRZ areas, sand extraction did not start as the permit holders have so far not installed mandatory weighbridges, Kottary said.
“There is a severe scarcity of sand. We are forced to buy poor quality sand by paying Rs 18,000 per (lorry) load for some ongoing construction work,” said association vice president Dinakar Suvarna. Association secretary Devananda said because of scarcity many construction works have already come to a halt and contractors are forced to give holidays for local and outstation construction labourers. “If this impasse continues, the construction activity will come to a total halt in the district,” Devananda said.
“For political reasons, the State government appears to continue this impasse on the sand, which is seriously affecting revenue to the exchequer and also harming the district’s economy,” the association’s joint secretary Ashok Kulal said. The association has invited all stakeholders in the construction industry, namely members of the Canara Builders’ Association, CREDAI Mangaluru, the Kanara Cement Dealers’ Association, the Steel Builders’ Association, and the Paint Hardware Dealers’ Association, for the protest.
