VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh govt has decided to start sand mining operations through machines in about 48 locations across the state, with sand committees told to invite tenders and finalise the bids at the district level.
The move is aimed at facilitating more sand reaches to launch operations, which will boost availability of sand in the market.
As complaints continue to pour in about the high prices and shortage of sand stocks in many areas, the govt is rushing through getting clearances for the machine-operated sand reaches.
However, clearances from the state environment impact assessment authority (SEIAA) and also the Union forest and environment ministry are required to open the new reaches to be operated with machines.
The govt earlier opened about 112 reaches where sand excavation is being done by manual labour. However, it has been alleged that some influential leaders from the ruling NDA alliance have deployed machines at several manual reaches.
Despite chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu‘s repeated warnings, these leaders are not allowing locals to take free sand even in their own tractors and bullock carts as per guidelines. Followers of some local legislators are also reportedly collecting unauthorised levies from the vehicles carrying the sand in many areas.
Interestingly, the contractors are reported to have filed bids for Rs 6 per tonne to excavate sand and load the same in tractors, while the mines and geology dept has fixed the minimum price of sand at Rs 25 per tonne as exacavation charges after taking the actual costs into consideration.
The govt expected the contractors to bid somewhere around Rs 30 to Rs 35 per tonne depending on the location of the sand reach. But the contractors have filed bids for Rs 6 per tonne, which is nearly 75 percent lower than the price fixed by the govt.
