Bantwala, July 25: Vittla police on Wednesday seized 8 lorries on charges of illegally transporting sand at Mani in the taluk.

On a tip-off that the sand was being transported from Mangaluru to Sullia, the police led by Vittla SI Nagaraj checked the lorries at Mani Junction. As the lorry drivers failed to produce required documents, the police have seized all the eight lorries along with the sand and handed over to the Mines and Geology department, police said.



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New Delhi: Opposition MPs have urged Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to extend the tenure of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024. They argued that a mere three-month period to finalise the report is insufficient given the legislation's broad implications.

The MPs highlighted that the bill proposes extensive changes to existing laws, impacting a significant portion of the population. “Rushing the report could lead to improper recommendations,” the opposition members stated in their letter to the Speaker.

Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee noted after a meeting with Birla that the Speaker had assured them of an extension to allow more stakeholders to present their views.

The letter also criticised the inclusion of “irrelevant organisations and individuals” in the JPC’s discussions and pointed out that several state governments, including Bihar, New Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh, have yet to appear before the committee.

The Winter Session of Parliament, which begins today, includes the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, among the bills set for consideration. The bill aims to digitise records, introduce stricter audits, enhance transparency, and reclaim illegally occupied properties.

The JPC has conducted 25 sittings so far, engaging with government officials, legal experts, Waqf Board members, and community representatives across states and Union Territories. However, opposition MPs stressed that hastily finalising the report could undermine the legislative process and diminish Parliament’s credibility.