Kampli Residents Submit Written Objections Against Proposed Sand Mining in Tungabhadra Riverbed

Local residents and community leaders from Mannur and M. Sugur villages in Kampli taluk, Ballari district, have voiced strong opposition to proposed sand mining operations in the Tungabhadra riverbed. During an environmental public hearing chaired by Additional Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Zubeer, social activist Ravi Mannur, founder president of the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Charitable Service Trust, submitted a formal written petition urging district authorities to withhold environmental clearance for 65 acres designated across multiple mining blocks. The objectors warned that extensive sand extraction from the river basin would deplete groundwater levels, leading to the drying up of local drinking water wells that sustain nearby agricultural communities. Furthermore, they pointed out that the constant movement of hundreds of heavy sand lorries through rural roads would cause severe air pollution, damage local transport infrastructure, and pose serious public health risks to residents. The memorandum highlighted that granting permission without addressing local ecological concerns would violate environmental standards and PESA regulations. In response, Additional Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Zubeer accepted the objection petition and assured the delegation that their concerns would be officially recorded and reviewed in the administrative decision-making process. For residents of Kampli taluk, the outcome of this hearing remains crucial to protecting their groundwater resources and maintaining environmental stability in riverbank villages.