Mangaluru: Despite tall claims by the district administration about reigning in deviations in sand extraction from rivers in Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ), use of outboard engine-fitted large boats and earthmovers for extracting and loading sand continues to be rampant.

While use of machinery goes against guidelines of Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) leading to excessive extraction thereby endangering the environment, the violations are happening in the home district of Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment B. Ramanath Rai.

Incumbent Deputy Commissioner S. Sasikanth Senthil, soon after assuming office recently, had declared that CRZ ecosystem would not be allowed to decay owing to rampant sand extraction and other violations. He had said the administration would ensure that MoEFCC guidelines would strictly be followed to ensure no harm is caused to the ecology.

Mr. Senthil had also said Global Positioning System (GPS) devices would be made compulsory to all licenced boats (three per permit-holder) and sand blocks allocated to each permit holder. Only dingy boats, as specified by MoEFCC, would be allowed to be deployed for sand extraction, he had noted.

In contrast, large steel boats, fitted with outboard engines are deployed for sand extraction all along the Netravathi between Adam Kudru till Thumbe.

However, steel boats deployed on the Phalguni (Gurupura) are not fitted with outboard engines. Similarly, earthmovers are deployed to load sand brought to dhakkes (landing points on river bank) in contravention of rules banning use of any machinery.

This is in vogue along the Netravathi banks and at some places on the Phalguni (near Malavoor Railway Bridge). National Environment Care Federation (NECF) general secretary Shashidhar Shetty told that sand extraction per se is not permitted from rivers in CRZ areas under MoEFCC rules. The rules only allow “removal of obstruction” for boats navigating in the rivers, including sand blocks, if any.

Making use of this provision, successive administrations have permitted sand extraction on a rampant scale, which is illegal as held by the National Green Tribunal, Southern Bench, Chennai, in a case related to Udupi district.

The judgement should be applicable to all coastal districts, he noted.Use of motorised boats to extract sand and earthmovers to load sand would result in excessive extraction thereby endangering the coastal ecology.

The government should act against such vandalism, he demanded.