High Court approves Government’s decision to limit sand permits to 53

The District Administration had limited the issue of sand extraction permits to 53 in sandbars identified in the Nethravathi and Phalguni CRZ areas. This was done by the government to protect traditional sand extractors and also preserve the environment.
Abdul Majeed and Abdul Gafoor, residents of Kannur on the outskirts of Mangalore had filed a writ in the High Court, questioning the district-level sand monitoring committee’s decision to restrict the number of permits to 53 based on the permit holders details of 2011-12.
The Divisional Bench comprising Justice L Narayanaswamy and Justice P S Dinesh Kumar dismissed the writ petition filed by Abdul Majeed and Abdul Gafoor and issued an order on March 11.
The Court said in its order that the resolution taken by the District Administration was to protect traditional sand minersand dismissed the writ petitions.
In connection to this, Deputy Commissioner Sasikanth Senthil said that in five years, the number of permit holders for sand extraction rose from 53 to 538 which resulted in unabated sand extraction. The High Court direction will now help maintain law and order and conservation of the environment.