Construction workers in Mangaluru stage protests against sand problem
Construction Workers Federation of India (CWFI) under the aegis of CITU staged a 24-hour dharna in front of deputy commissioner’s office seeking an early solution to the sand problem that people in coastal Karnataka are facing and demanding a pro-people sand policy, here on Monday. K Mahantesh, state general secretary of an organization who inaugurated the dharna said powers that be have systematically created an artificial scarcity of sand in the district. This is having a telling effect on the livelihood of not just the building workers, but also a common man who aspires to build a house. Alleging a nexus of officials and elected representatives that has created this scarcity of sand, Mahantesh said this has also allowed the sand mafia not only to thrive in the district but also allow it to control the district administration. Shortage of sand has badly hit the construction business in the district, he noted. With common people struggling to construct houses due to this issue, Mahantesh said the irony of the present situation can be gauged from the fact that the Green Tribunal that is supposed to adjudicate on sand mining in CRZ areas is without a judge for the past 18-months. Terming this as gross injustice caused by the BJP led NDA government; Mahantesh said it is no wonder that the local BJP leaders are tightly lipped about this issue. On the other hand, the BJP leaders are trying to mislead the common man singing bhajans during protest meets on this issue and diverting people’s attention from their failures. Even the state government must respond to the developing crisis and form a pro-people sand policy and thereby ensure that stakeholders get sand for construction activities at affordable rates. The government must also reign in the sand mafia, Mahanteshdemanded. YogishJeppinamogaru, district general secretary of CWFI in his introductory remarks slammed the Congress and BJP elected representatives from the district for not trying to mitigate the problems faced by people on this account. Their lethargy has helped the sand mafia to rear its ugly head, he said adding need of the hour is for authorities concerned to ensure that sand is made available to people at affordable rates at the earliest.
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