Agitated over the ban on sand mining in river beds, hundreds of daily age labourers demonstrated outside collectorate and demanded relief from the prohibition as they lost their jobs due to the halt on construction works in the city.

Backed by Labourer’s Union and MCP, the protestors also warned violent protest if government didn’t unban the mining.

There is a prohibition on the sand and gravel mining at river beds of Udaipur district since the mining causes serious risks to the environment.

But since the lack of sand, which is an essential part of construction, number of ongoing construction work has been stopped which has directly affected hundreds and thousands of daily wage laborers.

MCP leaders Rajesh Singhvi and K.R Siddiqui supported the concern of labourers and demanded positive action from the administration. The protestors also gave ultimatum of 4-5 days. Violent protest will be done, if demands were not taken positively.

One of the activists, Punjaram from Village Dhawdi Talai said that, “If we don’t get work, we will be forced to take laws in our hands. We have to commit robberies and loot to give food to our families.”

Ban on sand gravel has now become a matter of debate as the mining is creating environmental threat. The ban on it is also giving birth to illegal mining by sand mafias and unemployment for daily wage laborers.