Severe staff shortage hampers crackdown on illegal sand mining in Dakshina Kannada

The Department of Mines and Geology in Dakshina Kannada is struggling to curb illegal sand mining due to a severe manpower shortage, with 70% of its sanctioned posts remaining vacant. Out of 39 approved positions, 27 remain unfilled due to stalled recruitment efforts.

Crucial vacancies include geologists, engineers, drilling engineers, and administrative staff. All ten sanctioned Group D positions are also vacant. Official records reveal that one of two senior geologist posts and four of seven geologist positions remain unoccupied. Additionally, three out of four second-grade assistant roles and four out of five driver positions are yet to be filled.

A government circular issued on November 25, 2024, restricting direct appointments for reserved posts, has further delayed recruitment. Despite the shortages, the department has taken action against illegal mining, registering 82 cases and detecting 173 violations in 2024-25, imposing fines totaling ₹54 lakh.

Previous years saw even higher enforcement—269 instances and ₹1.4 crore in penalties in 2022-23, and 296 instances with ₹1.79 crore in fines in 2023-24. Mines and Geology Minister S.S. Mallikarjun, addressing the legislature, stated that district and taluk-level committees, involving officials from revenue, police, forest, PWD, zilla panchayat, and RTO departments, are actively monitoring and combating illegal sand mining in the district.

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