Udupi: Villagers of Nagaramata in Brahmavar taluk told Udupi DC Swaroopa TK that sand mining from River Sita had caused several problems in their area.In a memorandum submitted to the DC on Friday, the villagers said the mining had led to soil erosion in many agricultural fields spanning hundreds of acres. They warned that the problems would continue if the mining continued and urged the DC to address their concerns.
They said elders had recalled that River Sita was 60 feet wide earlier, but it had now increased to 160 feet. They stated that nearly 100 feet of this expanded width was once agricultural land.“Due to unscientific sand mining, the natural course of the river is being changed. This caused fear among farmers that they might lose their fertile land. Further, sand mining from the dam in Nagaramata may lead to a decline in groundwater levels and an increase in water salinity in the region,” they said.“Villagers are dependent on the same water to irrigate vegetables and other crops. Further, many villagers depend on the river for fishing as their livelihood,” they said, urging the DC to take action.They asked the district administration to conduct a study to check whether the area was suitable for sand mining. They also alleged that the mining was allowed because officers had earlier given a report with factual errors. They said they had submitted memoranda on this to the relevant authorities.DC promises actionIn response, the DC promised to send a senior geologist from the mines and geology department to Nagaramata to study the issue. She assured the residents that no injustice would be meted out to them.
