Kadapa: Sand mining, smuggling go unabated

Kadapa: The state government headed by Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has formed Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB) for prevention of illicit liquor manufacture and illegal sand transportation across the state. However, illegal sand quarrying and transportation has been going on unabated from Penna river in Kadapa district.

The seizure of illegal sand reaches has become routine in the district. Recently, officials seized two dumps of sand weighing 312 tonnes at Vempalle and Brahmamgari Matam. They also seized about 10 private sand dumps at various places for the last two weeks. These incidents indicate the intensity of illegal sand transportation in the district.

As per the norms sand has to be quarried only in 10 reaches, however around 25 sand reaches exist in the district. As per rules, the vehicles which transport sand have to fix the Global P ositioning System (GPS) instrument to the vehicle to indicate its location.

But the present government has excluded that condition and as a result, the vehicles are crossing the district and state borders without any difficulty. Government expects Rs 5.11 crore from sand quarrying and permits to mine up to 80,000 cubic metres in notified reaches.

Grade-1 sand available from designated sand reaches should be utilised for construction of projects, roads and government buildings. But the sand from official reaches is being illegally transported to sell at higher prices by sand mafia.

Though the administration has been initiating measures for preventing the illegal quarrying and transportation of sand, it has been rampant due to involvement of political leaders.

If the officials initiate stringent action against sand smugglers, they are being attacked. When contacted by Hans India Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB) Additional SP K Chakravarthi said that cases were registered against those who are responsible for running private sand dumps at different places and penalties are collected from them.