Karwar: Kali river sand contractors submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner in Karwar on Tuesday urging him to prohibit illegal sand mining in the Kali river.

"As per the order of the Union government, the stretch in the Kali river between Kodibag and Mallapur comes under fish spawning area and hence sand mining has been banned there. But tonnes of sand is being extracted and transported from Sunkeri, Siddar, Kharga and other villages along the river every day. Though the matter has been brought to the notice of the officers concerned a number of times, the appeals have gone in vain", they said.

They demanded that a clear explanation must be given as to whether sand mining in these villages is legal or illegal. In case, it is legal, permission must be given all eligible persons to mine sand.