Udupi: Minister for Women and Child Welfare Jayamala said on Thursday that the district administration was working to resolve the sand extraction issue as quickly as possible.

Speaking to presspersons here, Ms. Jaimala, who is also Udupi district in-charge Minister, said that the administration was in the process of issuing permits to 68 persons to extract sand.

But the truck owners and others urged the district administration to withdraw it and issue permits for both CRZ and non-CRZ areas simultaneously. They felt that sand extracted by 68 permit holders would not be enough, she added.

With the result, the administration had to rework the issue. Besides, it had to see that all the rules and regulations were followed. “But it is our duty to provide sand to people. Everyone should cooperate to solve the problem of sand extraction,” she said.

On the campaign on social media involving Kannada actors, Ms. Jayamala said that she worked during the “golden era” in the Kannada film industry with great actors such as the late Rajkumar. She had worked in the industry for 46 years, acted in 75 films and produced five films.

During her work in the film industry, she could not recall incidents of harassment of actresses. “But I do not know what is happening now,” she said.

To a query, she said that actor Arjun Sarja, who has been accused of harassing actress Sruthi Hariharan, was a simple and decent person.

“But I do not know everything about the Arjun Sarja-Sruthi Hariharan issue. I do not want any woman to be treated badly. So too I will not make any false allegation any man without knowing the full facts. This matter needs to be enquired into,” she said.

To another query, she said that the Kannada film industry was 75 years old. Nobody could divide the industry over the Arjun Sarja-Sruthi Hariharan issue.

“It is possible that they may apologise and act together again. I will not be surprised if that happens,” she said.

The Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC), the Karnataka Film Artistes’ Association (KFAA) and other organisations concerned should follow the Vishaka Guidelines. This would allow actresses or women artistes to lodge complaints of any harassment and get justice, Ms. Jayamala said.