Illegal red stone, sand-mining to be curbed: K'taka Minister

Mangaluru, Jan 7 (PTI): Stringent action would be takenagainst those involved in illegal mining and transportationof laterite stone and sand from government lands, KarnatakaMines and Geology Minister C C Patil said on Thursday.

Addressing reporters here after a review meeting withofficials of the Department of Mines and Geology, he saidsteps would be taken to prevent inter-state sand-smuggling.

Dakshina Kannada district authorities have been directedto install CCTV cameras in border areas.

Measures were being taken to extract sand from 30identified blocks in the twin districts of Dakshina Kannadaand Udupi districts in the next 15 days.

A total of 104 people have been given permission toextract sand in the CRZ (coastal regulation zone) area andsome more applications been under consideration, he said.

Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, MLAs VedavyasKamath, Rajesh Naik and Bharat Shetty, Dakshina Kannadadeputy commissioner K V Rajendra, Udupi DC G Jagadeesha andSPs of the two districts took part in the meeting..