Hemavathi river is the lifeline of the district but today is under threat thanks to vested interests of a few. Sand is transported to various places including Bangalore, Mumbai, Mangalore in the State. The hands of the law seem to be tied in front of the political powers that support this action.

Vested interest

This has become cause for concern for people of the district, who come across huge lorries transporting sand unabashedly to other places.

Sand mining continues unabated at the bridge outskirts of Holenarsipur along with certain taluks that Hemavathi is the backbone for-Sriramadevara Katte, Maragowdanahalli, Kattebelaguli, Kattahalli, Makavalli, Huchchana Koppalu and Sakleshpur.

The most affected areas are however the surrounding villages of Sakleshpur, Hemmige and Honnavalli in Alur taluk where sand mining continues to take its toll on the district.

Interestingly, neither the district administration nor the mining department has permitted sand mining in the areas. Despite this, one finds huge lorries and excavating machines stationed near the river ready to transport sand, giving rise to suspicion in the minds of people. It is clearly a state of satisfying the interests of a few at the cost of the environment. If an illegal activity has political backing, anything can be done if a few thousands are given away, even if it means that hundreds of lives are at stake. This is a pitiable state.

Official apathy

The situation seems to have gone out of control owing to absence of political willpower, official apathy and lack of concern for protecting and preserving ecological balance.

If there was any official statement regarding ban on sand mining, it was by District Incharge Minister H D Revanna in the initial days. After that however, any interest in the matter fizzled out.

Elected representatives too have not taken any action to bring this day-light dacoity to an end, causing anxiety in people.

No response

Add to this, a lack of interest in the matter right from the deputy commissioner to the transport officials and the police, and it is quite evident that illegal sand mining only increased due to official apathy.

On a few occasions however, police had arrested a couple of lorry drivers who were transporting sand and fined them heavily. People of the district are still skeptical about this, labelling these arrests as an eye-wash and to get people to believe that efforts are being made to ban sand mining.

Growing insecurity

With encroachment in the Western Ghats scaling new heights everyday, villages have been subjected to the wild elephant menace. Elephants in search of a habitat, barge into villages destroying anything that comes their way. If this was not enough of a problem to make lives miserable, illegal sand mining is another issue that demands immediate action keeping the welfare of people in mind.