more-in Priyanka Mary Francis, Deputy Commissioner, said on Friday that the removal of sand dunes in non-Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) areas in two blocks in Karkala taluk was likely to begin in seven days, while it would begin in nine blocks of CRZ areas in the district within a week of getting the nod of the Karnataka State Coastal Zone Management Authority (KSCZMA). Addressing presspersons here, Ms. Francis said that in the last few days misleading information was being spread on the social media that the district administration was delaying permission for removal of sand in the CRZ and non-CRZ areas. In fact, the district administration had been following all rules and regulations as required by law in the process of identifying sand dunes and getting it cleared by all required government departments. Though four sand bars had been identified in the non-CRZ areas, two blocks were in Karkala taluk and the rest in Byndoor taluk. While the excess sand could be removed from the sand bars in Karkala taluks, it could not be done in Byndoor taluk because the Model Code of Conduct was in force there. The excess sand removed from the two blocks in Karkala would be used for construction of houses for the poor under government schemes. The gram panchayats had also been told to inform the administration if they noticed excess sand in non-CRZ areas. As regards the CRZ areas, the stringent conditions laid down by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests for removal of sand was being followed meticulously so that it could stand the test of any legal scrutiny. A survey had been conducted by the Assistant Commissioner (AC) on the basis of the applications submitted by the fishermen indicating the areas where the movement of their boats was blocked due to collection of sand in non- CRZ areas. The administration had started the process with regard to identification of areas of excess sand collection in August this year. It could not be done earlier as the district had received heavy rains in the previous months. The survey proposal from the AC had been forwarded to the experts of NITK- Surathkal. The recommendations of the experts on the proposal had been submitted to the KSCZMA and its decision was awaited. All the issues concerned with removal of sand through manual methods by traditional communities were being dealt with by a seven- member committee headed by her as per guidelines of MoEF. Last year, 6 lakh tonnes of excess sand was removed in Udupi district, Ms. Francis said.

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