In order to streamline the supply of sand in the state, the government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Metal Scrap Trade Corporation (MSTC) to auction sand quarries in the state.
Faced with criticism about sand shortage, the government has decided to allow private contractors through MSTC to dig sand and sell the stocks to people.
The government is also doing away with the online system to help the public get sand easily. The MoU was signed by VG Venkata Reddy, director, mines and geology, and Ganesh N Jayakumar, DGM, MSTC in the presence of panchayat raj minister Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy and principal secretary Gopalakrishna Dwivedi. MSTC will invite tenders and select the contractors to manage sand quarries.
Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy said the government has been finetuning the sand policy for the past several months. He said that several rounds of discussions were held at the Group of Ministers (GoM) to bring in a scientific policy, adding that it took more than the expected time to correct the follies committed by the previous TDP government.
The minister said the National Green Tribunal (NGT) imposed a Rs 100 crore penalty on the government during the TDP regime due to overexploitation of sand from the river banks.
The minister, however, admitted that they found that people were facing trouble even after the government launched the new policy. He said the GoM made several recommendations, including removing the existing online system.
“People can now go to any sand reach and buy at the price fixed by the government offline. No more online booking after the auction of sand reaches by MSTC,” said Peddireddy.
The government removed all private players from the scene soon after the YSRC took over the reins of the state and tried to manage sand supplies on its own. Frequent floods and improper management at the field level resulted in severe shortage of supplies. This slowed down construction works in the state leading to massive unemployment.
After several consultations, the government had floated a sand corporation and appointed exclusive district-level sand officers to oversee sand supply. However the corporation failed to meet the demand from the public. The government has finally decided to allow private contractors to return to the scene. However, the government has engaged MSTC to bring transparency to the system and avoid looting by private contractors.
