VIJAYAWADA: The YSRC government, which abolished the ‘free’ sand policy introduced by the previous TDP regime, is likely to unveil the new sand policy on July 5. The policy, which will be akin to the one being implemented by Telangana, will focus on ensuring transparent mining and sale of sand, besides chalking out ways to augment revenue through the building material and promoting the use of manufactured sand (M-Sand).
After the YSRC government junked the TDP’s policy and imposed a ban on mining and transportation of sand on June 11, Minister for Mines and Geology Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy announced that the new policy would be introduced by July 1. While the draft sand policy has already been prepared, it is being examined by the State government to suggest changes, if necessary. “The draft has already been sent to the government for scrutiny and the final document will be ready next week. After getting necessary approvals (from State Cabinet), we expect the policy will be ready by July 5,” said an official from the Mines and Geology Department.
According to officials, the Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC) will be the nodal agency for the implementation of the new sand policy. The APMDC will engage private players to carry out mining in identified sand reaches across the State. They will enter into agreements with district administrations to monitor mining of sand. After mining, the building material will be moved to stockyards arranged by the APMDC. A special online portal will be launched for the sale of sand. The APMDC will engage a third-party for the transportation of sand. “Consumers can book the number of units of sand they need at the price fixed by the APMDC. The sand will be directly delivered to the address mentioned in the booking,” another official explained.
Plan to promote use of manufactured sand
The new policy is expected to promote the use of manufactured sand. In India, river sand is used for construction. This will be ecologically detrimental. Hence, the government has decided to encourage the use of M-Sand