Identify sand deposits: Collector to officials

Vijayawada: With the pressure mounting for supply of sand, the district administration is taking all necessary measures to identify the sand deposits in various parts of the district and for sand extraction.

Sand deposits are available in several parts of district other than the Krishna riverbeds. The district has sand deposits along the dozens of streams and rivulets which pass through different parts of district particularly in the western Krishna.

District Collector Md Imtiaz on Sunday instructed the mandal tahsildars and mandal development officers to identify the sand deposits in their respective mandals and take necessary steps for the sale of sand.

He conducted a teleconference with the district officials and asked them to collect Rs 285 for tonne from the buyer and pay Rs 90 to the workers for digging and loading the sand. He made it clear that the sand extracted from the district should be used within the district only.

Stating that allegations are being leveled on illegal digging and supply of sand in Mylavaram and G Konduru mandals, he directed the officials to take necessary measures and maintain transparency in the supply of sand to buyers.

Joint Collector K Madhavi Latha said separate app has been created to identify the sand supply to buyers. She said the state government has given permission to the district administration to identify the sand quarries and sell the sand to buyers.

The district administration and the state government are facing severe pressure from the Opposition parties, construction workers and builders to address the sand problem in the district.

Due to floodwater stagnated along the Krishna riverbed, the district administration is not able to extract the sand from the quarries located along the riverbed. So, alternative arrangements are being made to address the sand problem, according to sources.