Coast sand and stone crisis: Locals blame mafia, policy paralysis

Hans India

01-07-2025

Mangaluru: In coastal Karnataka, natural resources like sand, laterite, and gravel—once abundantly available for local construction—have turned into contested commodities. What locals once viewed as their rightful share of the region's natural wealth is now at the centre of a spiralling resource crisis, allegedly driven by political interests and unchecked commercial exploitation.
Much like how Ballari's mineral-rich lands became synonymous with iron ore and Kolar with gold, the coastal belt's bedrock—its sandbanks and laterite deposits—has emerged as a resource hotspot. However, as large-scale extraction began catering to demands from Bengaluru and neighbouring Kerala, allegations of an entrenched 'sand mafia' have begun to surface.
Residents say that the regulatory clampdown on local sand extraction—especially in areas not falling under the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ)—has ironically created a scarcity in the region, driving up construction costs and putting pressure on daily-wage labourers dependent on the industry.
'Earlier, three units of sand would cost around ₹3,000, including royalty charges. Today, it has touched ₹20,000,' said Athaulla Jokatte, a top functionary of the Social Democratic Party of India in Mangaluru. According to him, the royalty per unit, once ₹350, has surged to ₹1,800, with no corresponding access to local resources.
While tenders have been floated for sand extraction in non-CRZ areas such as Adyar, Gurupura, Shambhoor, Moodbidri, Puttur, Uppinangady, Belthangady, Siddakatte, and Sullia, administrative approvals have reportedly been withheld. This has led to growing frustration among local builders and workers alike, who now face difficulty sourcing essential materials within the district.
'There is an irony here,' said a civic activist in Moodbidri. 'The very sand from our riverbeds is being trucked out to other districts and states, while locals are denied access. The system is punishing us with high prices and stalled work, just because we're not part of the political supply chain.' Jokatte said.
Environmental safeguards, particularly those concerning the CRZ Act, remain vital for long-term ecological stability, say officials. But critics argue that selective enforcement and lack of a clear, scientific extraction policy for non-CRZ areas have created a vacuum ripe for exploitation.Amid this, there is a rising public demand for the district administration to revisit its policies. Civil society groups have called for minimal royalty rates, regulated extraction in non-sensitive areas, and a halt to the indiscriminate export of resources outside the region.
What began as a regulatory exercise to protect the coast has now become, many allege, a political economy of control. As coastal Karnataka's development hinges on infrastructure, affordable housing, and sustainable employment, many believe the region must reclaim both access and accountability over its natural wealth.