The Dakshina Kannada District
officials today conducted raids in sand mining areas of Adam Kudru on the banks of River Netravati at Ullal near here and seized sand along with eight trucks and a bulldozer.
Official sources said the team found that bull dozers had been used for loading sand into the trucks, although their use had been banned. However, the sand miners argued that they had not used JCBs for sand mining, but they were put to use only for loading sand into the trucks, which was allowed.
The inspection team found that only one out of the nine tippers on the spot had the required licence to transport sand.
Meanwhile, J.R Lobo, Mangalore South MLA, who visited the spot, directed the officials to fine the truck drivers who are involved in illegal sand mining. The locals submitted a memorandum to the MLA to look into the matter.
All the seized vehicles were then handed over to Ullal police, the sources said.
