CHALLAKERE : Illegal sand transporters are using innovative methods to carry out their illegal activities, and the leniency shown by the district administration towards bullock carts transporting sand, is the loophole used by such elements.
Hundreds of bullock cart owners are misusing the permission given by the district administration to transport sand from patta land in and around Challakere and Nagarangere tanks, and tanks at various kaval lands in the taluk.
A cart full of sand which sold at just `300 to `400 previously, is now selling at `1,000 per cart, as there is a great demand for sand from truck owners and at under-construction buildings. Every day, hundreds of cart-loads of sand are being sold uninterruptedly.
With the Vedavathi river drying up since the last several years, the groundwater is getting depleted every passing day at Belagere, Narayanapura, Kalamarahalli, Nagagondanahalli, Sooranahalli, Haravigondanahalli, Halagondanahalli, Mailanahalli, Gudihalli and other villages, where the water crisis has got aggravated due to unscientific extraction of sand.
After a request from farmers, the district administration took steps to set up sand blocks, and permitted some government organisations to extract and sell sand.
Farmers and their leaders Somaguddu Rangaswamy, Reddihalli Veeranna and K P Bhootaiah have complained about the illegal extraction and transportation of sand in the taluk, and have urged the district administration to take measures to stop the same, in order to protect the groundwater level which is depleting at an alarming rate.
Farmer leaders who raised objections on the use of bullock carts have urged the district sand task force to check this menace. They urged to allow bullock-carts to transport sand on the basis of need.