Comprehensive sand mining, stone-crushing policy on anvil

BANGALORE: Karnataka government has made it mandatory for the Public Works Department to use only manufactured sand for construction, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra said today.

He said while estimated demand for sand is about 33 lakh tonnes a month in Karnataka, the supply in the region is only of 8-9 lakh tonnes, resulting in sky-rocketing prices.

A Secretary-level committee, comprising those from mining and industry departments, among others, was formed last week to work on a comprehensive draft on mining and stone-crushing policy, and it would submit recommendations within a month.

The minister said identifying of "vacant sand blocks" is on.

Units of manufacturing sands are coming up in a big way near Bidadi on the city outskirts, he said.

At present, sand mining is taking place in a haphazard way, with the PWD not doing the regulation task, the minister added.