Dakshina Kannada district administration has made global positioning system (GPS) a must on boats permitted to remove sand in CRZ areas. This new arrangement will come in to vogue in next 15-days. In addition, these boats will also be painted in a distinct colour to help authorities concerned identity them with ease and take action against any other found removing sand in the permitted area, noted deputy commissioner Sasikanth Senthil. Batting for protecting fragile eco-system found in CRZ areas, Senthil, former director, department of mines and geology, prior to his current posting told reporters that the administration has received 450-odd applications for removal of sand from CRZ areas. “My predecessor K G Jagadeesha and current director of the department has done important work in sorting this issue,” Senthil said, adding permit conditions permit removal and not mining of sand in CRZ area. At present, the administration has cleared 41 applications from persons with five-year’ experience for removal of sand and documents of 61 other applicants with three-years’ experience is pending approval. “These applicants have sought time to furnish documents sought by us,” Senthil said, adding documents of other applicants with two and one-year experience respectively is unlikely to pass muster leaving the 102 applicants with the task of removing sand in CRZ areas. There are no major issues as far as mining of sand in non-CRZ areas is concerned and supplying sand from there. Even here, applicants will be allowed to mine exposed sand bars only, he said, adding all such permits will be issued on a five-year lease as per a state policy. The administration will also put in place systems where traditional means of removing sand using wooden boats and skilled workers is back in place to counter rampant mechanization of the trade.