Sand mafia operating brazenly: Farmers report financial losses as tractors destroy their bitter gourd crops

Mahabubnagar: The sand mafia in Devarkadra mandal of Mahabubnagar district continues to plunder valuable government resources unchecked, alleged social activist Diddi Praveen Kumar, president of the Nenu Saitam voluntary organization. Despite repeated complaints and written appeals to police, revenue, and mining officials, the illegal sand transportation remains unabated, causing significant loss to the state exchequer.

Praveen Kumar revealed that the sand mafia is operating brazenly, with 20–30 truckloads of sand being illegally transported every day from streams in Venkataiapally village and other parts of the mandal. This sand is being smuggled to Devarkadra, Mahabubnagar, and nearby regions without any intervention from the authorities.

Farmers and residents in the affected areas are bearing the brunt of these illegal operations. Farmers Ramaswami and Venkatesh reported that tractors used by the mafia to transport sand have destroyed their bitter gourd crops, leading to financial losses. Praveen Kumar accused certain local police and revenue officials of supporting the sand mafia, enabling their operations to thrive without fear of action.

He lamented that written complaints submitted to the Devarakadra Tahsildar Krishnayya, SI Naganna, and even senior district officials such as Collector Vijayendra Boyi and SP Janaki have failed to bring about any tangible results.

“Fifteen days ago, we submitted a formal complaint to the District Collector and SP. However, the sand mafia has resumed its activities with even greater intensity. This raises serious questions about the role of officials who are supposed to safeguard government resources,” said Praveen Kumar.

Calling for strict measures, Praveen Kumar urged the District Collector and SP to register cases and initiate stringent action against the sand mafia to prevent further exploitation of natural resources. “If immediate steps are not taken, we will have no option but to approach the Telangana High Court for justice,” he warned.