Speaker warns against too many curbs on sand-mining

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, NOV. 28. The Speaker, Mr. Vakkom Purushothaman, has said that more curbs on sand-mining along river beds in the State would only lead to more graft.

``Already each police station is raking in at least Rs. 10,000 on this count,'' he cautioned the Government while intervening in the discussion on the Kerala Protection of River Banks and Regulation of Removal of Sand Bill in the Assembly today.

Mr. Purushothaman, who has been coming up with punchy one-liners at every available opportunity, made the remark after a rather lengthy explanation by the Revenue Minister, Mr. K. M. Mani, on the virtues of the Bill.

Earlier, piloting the Bill, Mr. Mani said the Bill would facilitate better management of sand-mining from river beds and protection of the river banks. The Bill does not seek to enforce a total ban on sand-mining as had been attempted in the past. But it does give the power to the District Collector and the Government to enforce a ban in case such a measure is considered necessary, he said.

Tracing the background of the Bill, Mr. Mani recalled that a total ban on mining of sand from the beds of nine rivers was imposed by the last Government in July, 1998. The Kerala High Court was moved against this decision.

However, the Court took the position that the Government decision should be enforced in toto and issued such an instruction to all District Collectors. This resulted in a crisis. Sand miners were rendered jobless and the construction industry landed in a crisis. The Bill, he said, is intended to ease the crisis and protect the river beds.

Mr. Mani said the Bill, once adopted, would enhance the penalty for unauthorised sand-mining. It would also result in formation of expert committees at the district-level with the Collectors as its chairpersons and `kadavu' committees to decide on granting permission for sand-mining. The Bill is the first of its kind anywhere in the country, Mr. Mani said.

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Section  : Southern States
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