The Udupi District Building Material Transport Lorry-Tempo Owners' Association has raised serious concerns regarding the alleged rampant illegal transportation of M-sand from Udupi district into Kerala, claiming a lack of intervention from local authorities. During a press conference held Monday at the Udupi Press Club, General Secretary Raghavendra Shetty accused district officials of complicity, leading to an artificial scarcity and inflated prices for the crucial construction material within Udupi.
Shetty pointed fingers directly at officials from the District Department of Mines and Geology, alleging their collusion with stone crusher unit owners. He stated that this indifferent attitude enables crusher owners, or those with agreements, to daily move gravel M-sand produced in the district to Kerala using large vehicles. This practice, Shetty asserted, artificially creates a shortage of M-sand for building construction locally, driving up costs for ordinary citizens and impacting the earnings of Udupi's own lorry owners and drivers.
Shetty highlighted that despite a high local demand for M-sand and already expensive sand due to high-tech mining permitted by the district administration, crusher unit owners charge exorbitant prices for M-sand. They also arbitrarily fix rates for gravel, rubble, and red stone, making home construction increasingly difficult for middle-class families.
He expressed strong frustration, noting that while local lorry owners legally transporting sand within Udupi face harassment from officials and some mining contractors, the illegal flow of M-sand to Kerala continues unchecked. Shetty specifically mentioned that numerous lorries laden with M-sand consistently travel towards Kerala via Padubidri and Mangaluru from areas like Bellannu, Nandikoor, and Belle. He criticized both department officials and the district administration for their passive observation without taking any preventative measures.
Warning of the severe risk of natural resource depletion if this illegal trade of construction materials persists, Shetty also announced a public dharna satyagraha. This protest, planned for next week in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office, will involve various organizations collaborating with the association. Harish Shetty Katapadi, President of the Lorry-Tempo Owners' Association, along with Ramesh Shetty Herga, Ravindra Palan, and Abdul Razak, were present at the press conference.
Image: varthabharati.in
đź“° Source: Vartha Bharati Udupi