'Water Force' to fight illegal sand mining: DC

• Ban on transporting fish in open container; road widening

Mangaluru: Speaking on the issue of putting an end to the illegal sand mining and transportation the deputy commissioner Sasikanth Senthil said, “The district administration along with police department, has been relentlessly acting against illegal sand mining in the district. We have been taking steps against those indulging in transportation of sand to other districts and states. It has now been decided to form ‘Water Force’ to combat sand extraction through boat,” he informed.

The DC was speaking at a programme of interaction with media persons organised at the Press Club here under the aegis of Dakshina Kannada Working Journalists Union on Wednesday January 9,

Ban on transporting fish in open container

Speaking on the issue fish waste water spilling on roads and foul smell from rotten fish being transported in open vehicles the DC said that Goa and Kerala have imposed strict ban on movement of fish in open vehicles and similar measures would be emulated here.

The DC informed that he has constituted a sub-committee comprising officials from Transport and Fisheries departments to contain fish waste water spilling on roads and foul smell from rotten fish being transported in open vehicles.

Fish transporters would be asked to carry fish only in container vehicles fitted with waste water tank, he said. He added that the practicability of transporting fish to fish oil units located on the river banks through barges instead of trucks is being studied.

Road widening

The DC hoped that the road widening cum concreting of B C Road – Addahole stretch of national highway 75 will resume soon, as a meeting is under way at New Delhi on the issue. The construction of Mularpatna Bridge which caved in sometime back, will be completed in two years, informed Mr Senthil.