Share Sand extraction in rivers within the coastal regulatory zone (CRZ) in the district finally resumed on Saturday amidst claims and counter claims about compliance to environment clearance norms. Though the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) and the State-level Environment Impact Assessment Authority-Karnataka (SLEIA), had clearly indicated that sand removal in CRZ area was only to facilitate smooth movement of fishing and other boats, rampant sand extraction had been in vogue since three-four years flouting all norms. The then Deputy Commissioner A.B. Ibrahim set up a committee headed by Additional Deputy Commissioner Kumar to frame guidelines for sustainable sand extraction. The committee came out with a set of guidelines, which were nothing but the conditions imposed by the authority. The conditions of deployment of only traditional non-mechanised boats, two boats per permit-holder, ban on machinery to load/ unload sand etc., had dissuaded the permit holders from resuming extraction. Last week Deputy Commissioner K.G. Jagadeesha had said the administration would allow resumption of sand extraction if the conditions were fulfilled, for which the permit-holders agreed. National Environment Care Foundation convener Shashidhar Shetty however claimed that the conditions were still being flouted. Instead of dinghy boats, permit-holders are allegedly using 12m long and 3m wide boats, which are not yet registered with the administration. Instead of removing sand above the level of river-bed, contractors are allegedly lifting sand using 20 ft long bamboo sticks fitted with buckets. Though only permit holders can extract sand, workers are hired thereby making it an industry which is impermissible. MoEF and SLEIA had permitted extraction only for the purpose of facilitating smooth movement of fishing and local boats; but large-scale commercial extraction is on, Mr. Shetty told The Hindu . He said that examples of rivers drying up following unabated sand extraction are alive in Kolar and other districts. Sand acts as natural agent facilitating groundwater recharge. Excessive mining would harm the environment considerably, he argued. Another important condition of fixing boundary stones on river banks earmarking sandbars indicating the area of excavation and quantity of sand has not been followed, he said. Instead of conventional community depending solely on river for its livelihood, sand mafia has been dominating the extraction process thereby endangering the environment, Mr. Shetty alleged. No officials from the district administration were available for comment. Conditions LAID by SLEIA Sand bar removal only by traditional coastal communities Manual method by non-mechanised dinghies or small boats Dinghies should be registered with the Deputy Commissioner Removal till the sandbars are sufficiently cleared for free movement of fishing vessels Only sandbars above the river-bed level can be removed Lengths of sandbars should be demarcated on the shore by putting boundary stones and showing GPS readings, area of removal, quantity etc., say environmentalists