Karnataka CM's Economic Advisor flags sand mafia-officials nexus in Koppal, seeks action

Bengaluru, Oct 21 (PTI) Economic Adviser to the Karnataka Chief Minister, Basavaraja Rayareddy, has written to CM Siddaramaiah, alleging a nexus between sand mafia and government officials and corruption in Koppal district, which is allegedly causing huge losses to the state exchequer.

In his letter dated October 18, the Congress MLA sought action against officials of the Mines and Geology Department in Koppal and also urged the CM to constitute a special task force, headed by the District Deputy Commissioner, to curb illegal sand and gravel trade.

The opposition BJP has seized on Rayareddy's letter to corner the Congress government, accusing it of "allowing corruption".

"My special appeal to the Honorable Chief Minister. I am writing this letter with the confidence that you will consider my appeal seriously and take strict action against the corrupt officials of Koppal district to prevent the loss of royalty to the government," Reddy said in his letter to the CM.

Noting that Koppal district has more than 85 km of Tungabhadra river bank, which naturally accumulates large quantities of sand, he said daily about 100 to 150 trucks of sand and gravel are illegally transported from Koppal district to Gadag, Ballari, Hubballi, Dharwad, Chitradurga and Bengaluru cities.

"This is causing a huge loss of royalty to the state government. There have been complaints from the public that officers and staff of the Mines and Geology Department and officials of other local departments are involved in this and are indulging in corruption, " he stated.

According to him, officials and staff of the Mines and Geology department, along with other local departments, are colluding with a sand mafia gang of over 200 members.

"This is being discussed in the public sphere. This is bringing a bad name to the government. Therefore, a special task force should be formed under the chairmanship of the District Deputy Commissioner to stop this sand and a gravel scam." Naming 10 officials in his letter, he demanded that the corrupt officers be transferred immediately.

Citing media reports about their alleged corruption, the CM's advisor said, "This is also causing great embarrassment to the government. Therefore, I request the Chief Minister to consider this seriously and issue strict instructions to the concerned to immediately transfer all the mentioned officers/staff from Koppal district to other places. Through this, a clear message can be given that our government will take strict action against corruption." Reacting to Rayareddy's letter, state BJP President B Y Vijayendra sought to know what more proof does the Karnataka government need to see how deeply corruption has eaten into the Congress government.

"When even the Chief Minister’s own Economic Adviser admits that a mafia–official nexus is looting the State’s natural wealth, robbing over Rs 400 crore every year from the people, it exposes the rot within CM Siddaramaiah’s administration. The sand mafia flourishes openly while officials allegedly take bribes under ministerial protection," he said in a post on 'X'.

Noting that the truth can no longer be hidden, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka said, after admitting Karnataka is bankrupt due to reckless guarantee schemes and claiming Karnataka is the No.1 state in corruption, CM Siddaramaiah 's Economic Advisor and senior Congress MLA Basavaraj Rayareddy, has now blown the lid off the sand mafia-politician nexus.

"This is not governance - this is organized loot. After bankrupting Karnataka with unplanned and unscientific guarantees and openly admitting corruption, now the state itself is being plundered by a mafia-official nexus - while the government watches," he said in the post. PTI KSU ROH