Sand to be extracted soon from six non-CRZ blocks of district: Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao
Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada District In-charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has said that extraction of sand will soon be permitted in six blocks of non-coastal regulatory zones (non-CRZ) of the district.
The minister told reporters in the city on Wednesday that 11 sand blocks in the zones had been identified by District Sand Monitoring Committee and tenders were floated for up to six blocks based on the approval of a panel, according to a report by The Hindu.
Stating that tenders will be called for the remaining five blocks soon, Rao said that officials had been directed not only to speed up the process but also identify more sand blocks in the zones soon.
When asked about extracting sand from CRZ, Rao clarified that the government required clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forests to take action, but added that he had directed district officials to prepare a proposal to pursue the matter with the Central government.
He also stressed that the government had no tolerance for illegal extraction of sand and laterite stone, adding that the legal framework would be worked out in the two months of monsoon as there would be low demand for both sand and laterite stone during the period.
The minister further said that laterite stone traders had brought to his notice that people preferred to get the stone from Kerala as royalties and other charges for the stone were lower in the neighbouring state. He added that officials concerned had been told to submit a proposal to make it easier for traders to extract laterite stone in Karnataka.
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Mamata demands PM's apology over 'Bankim da' remark in Lok Sabha
Cooch Behar (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that he has insulted novelist Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay by calling him "Bankim da".
Addressing a rally in Cooch Behar district, Banerjee said the PM was not even born when the country achieved Independence and yet chose to address one of Bengal's greatest cultural icons casually.
"You did not even show him the minimum respect he deserves. You should apologise for this, to the nation," she said.
The flashpoint was PM's reference to the author during a discussion in Lok Sabha on Monday to commemorate 150 years of the national song, Vande Mataram, written by Chattopadhyay.
TMC MP Saugata Roy objected to the use of the suffix 'da' and urged the PM to say 'Bankim babu' instead.
Modi immediately accepted the sentiment, saying, "I will say Bankim 'babu'. Thank you, I respect your sentiments," and asked in a lighter vein whether he could still address Roy as 'dada'.
Targeting the BJP, Banerjee claimed that it will destroy Bengal's culture, language and heritage if it comes to power in the state.
She also claimed that the assembly elections in the state will be declared soon after publication of the final electoral rolls following the SIR exercise, so that no one can challenge it in court.
