VIJAYAWADA : The new sand policy is being implemented across the State from July 8. Principal Secretary (Mines) N Yuvaraj on Monday issued GO No. 43 withdrawing the existing sand policies i.e., New Sand Mining Policy 2019, and Upgraded Sand Policy 2021, and replacing them with an Interim Mechanism for Sand Supply till formulation of Sand Policy, 2024 for the State. The sale of sand under the new policy will be implemented in a full-fledged manner from Tuesday.
In 2016, the then TDP government introduced the Revised Sand Policy, 2016 making sand available to the public fee of cost from March 2, 2016. However, in 2019, the YSRC government replaced the same with a new sand policy, and upgraded the same in 2021.
The TDP-led NDA government, which came to power in 2024, conducted a thorough review of the existing sand policy (New Sand Mining Policy 2019, and Upgraded Sand Policy 2021) and the status of current sand operations in the State, and observed that there is an imminent need to improve it by formulating a comprehensive sand policy, 2024 so that the interests of consumers are protected, and environmental and other concerns are addressed properly.
Following it, the Commissioner and Director of Mines and Geology submitted a report with detailed modalities as an Interim Mechanism for Sand Supply till formulation of Sand Policy, 2024.
In the orders issued for the implementation of the interim mechanism for sand supply, it was observed that sand is a basic input for the construction sector, which employs a large number of people, directly and indirectly. Unless the cost of sand is kept under reasonable check, there is a likelihood of adverse socio-economic consequences of unemployment, loss of wages, and an impact on the investment climate and industrialisation process in the State.
The main objectives of the new mechanism are making sand available to consumers at affordable rates, transparency, and visibility of sand operations, prevention of any scope for illegal sand excavation and transportation through an effective vigilance and monitoring mechanism, compliance with all environmental regulations and orders issued by the Supreme Court, High Court and National Green Tribunal, to mitigate the environmental impact of sand excavation.
Under the new mechanism, the District Level Sand Committees (DLSCs) headed by the Collectors have been constituted. They will take over the sand stocks available in the existing depots, which were in the hands of private firms till now. They will safeguard the sand stocks and distribute the construction material as per requirement.
The DLSC will appoint VRO/VRAs/ Gram and Ward Secretariat officials or any other official, as deemed fit, as stockyard in-charges for each of the sand depots/desiltation points. There will be no revenue share to the government under the new policy.
However, the cost of operations, along with statutory levies and taxes will be charged from consumers. The DLSC will be authorised to modify these rates, wherever necessary, taking into consideration the changes in operating costs/ levies and taxes from time to time. The DLSC will also appoint agencies/manpower to undertake various activities viz. loading, ramp maintenance, security, etc.
The desiltation of major, medium and minor reservoirs and tanks as defined by the Water Resources Department will be taken up to enhance the storage capacity of the reservoirs and augment groundwater recharge in command areas. The department will prepare the feasibility report along with the environment management plan to undertake de-siltation activities, and obtain consent for establishment /consent for operation from APPCB.
The information about the sand stockyards will be uploaded dynamically on the website www. mines.ap.gov.in daily. Sand will be sold from 6 am to 6 pm. GPS-based vehicle tracking should be mandated to enable tracking of sand despatches.
To prevent hoarding/ black marketing of sand and ensure the availability of sand for a larger number of consumers, each consumer should be permitted to purchase a maximum of 20 tonnes per day till supplies stabilise.
The limits may be revisited and modified by the DLSC, based on the demand-supply scenario within the district. Accordingly, the DLSC will notify the modified limits to inform the public by providing wide publicity. The DLSC may grant appropriate relaxations for government works based on the request of the engineering department concerned.
Sand stocks in districts
In eight stockyards of NTR district, a total of 5,54,384 tonnes of sand is available
Five stock points in Guntur district have 9.34 lakh tonnes of sand
Six stock points each in Bapatla and Palnadu districts, have 72,736 tonnes and 2.39 lakh tonnes of sand respectively
Sand from Srikakulam and East Godavari districts will be stocked at Bheemili and Aganampudi
At Aganampudi, the available sand stock is 97,782.36 tonnes, and at Bheemili 94,047 tonnes
In Kadapa district, sand is available at 11 stockyards
In Anantapur district, 71,430 tonnes of sand is available
In Sri Sathya Sai district, 61,300 tonnes of sand is available
In Ambedkar Konaseema district, 2,44,131 tonnes of sand is available at six stockyards
Fine for illegal transportation
Tractors involved in the illegal transportation of sand will be fined up to Rs 10,000 for the first offence, and Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 for the second offence. In case of 10-tyre lorry, the fine will be Rs 25,000 for the first time and up to Rs 50,000 for the second offence, and those above 10 tyres and the excavation machinery will be fined up to Rs 50,000 for the first offence and up to Rs 1 lakh for the second offence
In case of bullock carts, the fine will be Rs 2,000 for the first offence, Rs 3,000 for the second offence, and Rs 5,000 for the subsequent offences. The vehicle/machinery, found involved in any violation for more than two times will be seized along with sand