Bengaluru, Feb 20: Karnataka High Court on Friday has felt that there was a need to Court monitored central agency investigation into illegal sand mining in the State.
Raichur MLA received death threats after complaint
The High Court bench comprising Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C M Poonaccha, which had directed registering of a suo moto PIL in the case on Jan 30, after Home Minister Dr G Parameshwar pleaded helplessness on the floor of Assembly on Jan 29, has asked the government to file its response within next four weeks.
Taking a strong objections to the Home Minister's statement, the court said that if the Home Minister himself is helplessness in containing the menace, it is highly doubtful that the state government can contain the illegal sand mining. ''There is a need for court monitored investigation by a central agency," the bench noted.
The court also referred to the incident where Raichur MLA Keramma Nayak told the Assembly that she was receiving death threats after complaining against the sand mafia in her constituency.
Dr Parmeshwar had said that powerful people from all the political parties were involved in illegal sand mining and it was difficult to control it.
The court also mentioned the media reports on illegal sand mining in Krishna basin during night and the farmers complaining that the dust was settling on their agricultural fields.
''If Home Minister himself pleads helplessness, then there is no way the government can act against the sand mafia," the court added.
