Udupi: Environmentalists have warned of the filing of a criminal case if elected representatives stage a protest and try to bring pressure on officials on the issue of sand bar removal in Udupi district.
On Friday, Udupi BJP MLA Raghupathi Bhat had alleged that shortage of sand was affecting the people of the region. He had declared that a protest would be held from October 25 in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office if the DC does not allow full fledged sand removal. He had said that about nine sand bars have been identified which may allow only about 30 people to remove sand. He demanded that all the 171 people who have been removing sand should be given a chance as there is shortage of sand in the region.
This move to pressurise elected representatives has annoyed environmentalists who have decided to start a legal fight.
“Based on the guidelines of the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) and following the order of the Chennai bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT), the Udupi district administration is in the final stage of sand bar marking in the CRZ limits. As per rules, only those sand bars which create a hurdle for traditional fishing boats can be removed. But some people including a few elected representatives want uncontrolled sand mining as it used to be earlier," NECF state secretary Shashidhar Shetty, who has been heading the fight against sand mining in the coastal districts told Deccan Chronicle.
“The Udupi DC is doing a good job by controlling sand mining and identifying only those places where sand can be removed as per rules. But some people are trying to pressurise her by going on strike. We condemn the move," he said.
"If anybody tries to pressuise the officials by staging a strike, then we will have to approach the court and start a legal fight by filing a criminal case. We cannot be mute spectators when rule abiding officials are being pressurised," he added.
