Laterite stone quarry operators given ultimatum to reduce price of laterite stones

Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner H.V. Darshan said laterite stone extractors have been given an ultimatum to keep the price of laterite stones under check. This comes after the State government’s recent decision to reduce the royalty for extraction of laterite stones from Patta lands from ₹290 to ₹150 per tonne.

In the District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) meeting chaired by MP Captain Brijesh Chowta in Mangaluru on Tuesday, November 11, Mr. Darshan said that after consulting with extractors, the government took this decision.

“With this reduction, we hoped that the price of laterite stones would get reduced. But it has not happened and the price of each stone is at ₹55. We have served an ultimatum to extractors for reducing the price of laterite stones,” Mr. Darshan added, further stating that he will make a call about the rates of laterite stones during the Karnataka Development Plan meeting to be chaired by District In-charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao soon.

Mr. Darshan said the district administration had given permission for the extraction of laterite stones from Patta lands within 15 days of application. Presently, nine applications are pending. It has not received any applications from Mangaluru, Ullal, Mulky and Moodbidri taluks.

Mangaluru City South MLA D. Vedavyas Kamath said the tendency of the administration to impose hefty fines on new applicants for illegal extraction of laterite stones done by earlier extractors was preventing them from seeking permits.

Regarding the extraction of sand, Mr. Darshan said that of the 38 blocks identified in the non-Coastal Regulation Zone area, permits have been issued for extraction from 16 blocks so far. No bids have been called for spots in the Coastal Regulation Zone area because of legal issues.

Expressing concern over lack of action by the district administration to deal with the pollution of the Nandini river in Kandevu which has affected the mass fish catching ritual, Moodbidri MLA Umanath Kotian said he will be forced to join people for an agitation. Mr. Darshan said he will get an official report about the issue and personally visit the place before taking corrective action.

Meanwhile, Capt. Chowta asked Mangaluru Airport operators to take steps to increase the time of free parking from the present 10 minutes to 15 minutes. He also asked district officials to each send a proposal for setting up the Tribal Research Institute in Dakshina Kannada and the Poly Trauma Care Centre at Government Wenlock Hospital.

A district official said civil works related to the Plastic Park in Ganjimutt will be completed by March 2026. Allotment of sites for plastic industrial units on 38 acres of park land will begin shortly, the official said.