MANGALURU: Lokayukta sleuths on Thursday night raided several places on the banks of River Nethravathi in Mulki, Belthangady and Bantwal in Dakshina Kannada district, and seized boats and trucks used for the illegal transportation of sand.
Laxmi Ganesh K, Superintendent of Police, Lokayukta, Mangaluru Division, said that following several complaints of illegal sand mining, three teams led by DySP Kalavathi, DySP Cheluvaraju B and Inspector Amanulla raided many places at Mulki, Belthangady and Bantwal and made the seizure.
At Dharmasthala, two trucks and a boat were seized. The accused, however, managed to escape during the raid. Trucks, tippers, earth-movers and sand valued at Rs 40 lakh were seized. Three criminal cases have been registered. “Illegal sand mining is causing a big loss to the state’s exchequer. We will take action against officials for their negligence in putting an end to illegal sand mining,” the SP said.
Meanwhile, Laxmi Ganesh held a live phone-in programme and received over 25 complaints of corruption and maladministration, which lead to delay in finishing work by government agencies on Friday. There were many complaints against Karnataka Pollution Control Board, Revenue Department and Mangalore Urban Development Authority. The SP assured of action and urged the public to send their complaints on landlines 0824-2950997/2427237. The phone-in programme is being held second Friday of the month.