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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Sport must go on: Sourav Ganguly on India-Pakistan Asia Cup clash
Kolkata, Jul 27 (PTI): Former India captain Sourav Ganguly on Sunday said he has no issues with India being placed in the same group as Pakistan in the upcoming Asia Cup, asserting that while terrorism must end, sport must continue.
As per the schedule, arch-rivals India and Pakistan are clubbed in Group A and are set to face off at the Dubai International Stadium on September 14.
"I'm okay with the schedule. Sport must continue. What happened in Pahalgam should never happen, but we can’t let that stop the game. Terrorism must end. India has taken a firm stand against it, it’s in the past now. Sport must go on," Ganguly told PTI.
The T20 tournament will be held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from September 9 to 28.
India will begin their campaign against UAE on September 10 and are expected to play all their matches in Dubai. India and Pakistan could also meet again in the Super Four stage on September 21.
Group A comprises India, Pakistan, UAE and Oman, while Group B includes Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Hong Kong.
The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) will allow 17-member squads for the 19-match tournament, with matches scheduled in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
While the BCCI is the official host, the tournament is being held in the UAE as India and Pakistan have agreed to play only at neutral venues till 2027 due to ongoing cross-border tensions.
The two countries had come close to the brink of war following the Pahalgam attack, to which India responded with Operation Sindoor.
