Mangaluru (The Hindu): Dakshina Kannada District Sand Monitoring Committee has fixed Rs. 5,658 price per truckload of normal sand (3 cft) within a distance of 30 km from the loading point within the district.

Sand price was revised at a meeting of the committee on November 5 by the Deputy Commissioner, who heads the committee, said a release here on Tuesday.

The administration had asked the Mines and Geology and the Public Works departments to look into the reported escalation in cost of sand extraction after the administration began strict implementation of the CRZ norms for sand extraction.

The price of normal sand was Rs. 3,000 and fine sand was Rs. 3,500 for 2 cft since 2014, to be supplied within 10 km from the loading point. Sand extractors had demanded a revision in the price as they claimed cost escalation from a complete ban on deploying machinery to unload sand from boats and load it onto trucks.

According to sand federation president Mayoor Ullal, at least five workers have to be engaged per truck with the ban on using machinery. While a dozen would have loaded one truck in 15 minutes, five workers would take about an hour. The cost, therefore, gets almost tripled, from about Rs. 300 a truck to Rs. 700-800, he said.

The release further said that if anyone is found demanding excess price beyond the prescribed one, they may lodge a complaint with the district administration in writing or call the toll free number 1077.