Mahabubabad: Authorities keep a tab on illegal sand mining

Mahabubabad: The administration is keeping a tab on illegal sand mining, Tribal Welfare Minister Satyavathi Rathod said. Inaugurating a sand sub-storage centre at Mahabubabad on Monday, she said that no stream in the district is ideal for sand extraction. The sand sub-storage centre will address the needs of the people, the Minister said.

"The administration is keen to keep the sand mafia at bay to stop the depleting water tables. Illegal sand mining is also affecting river ecology besides posing other environmental issues. An official was also suspended for his alleged support to illegal sand mining on Akeru stream," she said.

The Minister said that the sand sub-storage centre not only addresses the needs of the locals, but it also ends illegal sand mining on Akeru and other streams.

Mahabubabad District Collector VP Gautham said that stringent action will be taken against those, who infringe Water, Land and Trees Act (WALTA). "People now can heave a sigh of relief as they can fetch quality sand from the sand sub-storage centre. The aim of the administration is to provide quality sand of Godavari to the customers at cost to cost price," Gautham said.

Telangana State Mineral Development Corporation general manager G Deepthi was among others present.