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In the interest of environment protection and rigid norms against extraction of river sand, M-sand (manufactured sand) should be considered as an alternative to river sand for construction activities in Dakshina Kannada district, said Deputy Commissioner A.B. Ibrahim.

Chairing a meeting of sand extractors and builders here on Monday, Mr. Ibrahim said that with strict regulations, extraction of sand from riverbeds has come to halt in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada districts and in neighbouring Kasaragod district of Kerala.

This has affected several works, including those carried out by the Manglauru City Corporation, the Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat and the Public Works Department. It was time M-sand was considered as an alternative to river sand, he said.

Extraction of sand from sand bars located along the State’s coastline has been barred during the monsoon season from June 15 to August 15. Extraction of sand from 19 sand bars in the Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) and 38 in non-CRZ areas in Dakshina Kannada has come to a halt.

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Mr. Ibrahim said that several cities in the country, including Bengaluru, have started using M-sand, which is prepared by filtering sand dust generated at stone quarries.

As much as 70 per cent of construction activity in Kerala is taken up with M-sand. The State government is giving impetus to the use of M-sand as it was becoming difficult to get natural sand, he said.

Manoj Shetty, managing partner of Trident Infrastructure that manufactures M-sand, said that there are 21 M-sand manufacturing units in stone quarries located in Karkala in Udupi district and in Vitla in Dakshina Kannada.

As demand for M-sand in the district is not enough, it used to cost Rs. 7,500 per tonne in the district as against Rs. 1,500 per tonne charged in Bengaluru, where it is being extensively used.

Mayur Ullal, who represents the traditional sand extractors, said that if lacunae in the prevailing norms for sand extraction are corrected, sand extractors can provide sand that would be four times more than the present demand.

While pushing for use of M-sand, the State government should not shy away from correcting the lacunae in the prevailing norms, he said.