VIJAYAWADA: Asserting that the government was taking every initiative to increase sand supply, Mines and Geology Minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy on Tuesday informed that the AP Mineral Development Corporation Limited has entered into agreements with 82 patta landowners for sand mining. Permission has been given for excavation of sand in 10 patta lands.
Addressing a press conference at the Secretariat, the minister said the government could not provide sand from the major reaches due to the floods in Krishna and Godavari rivers.
"Compared to the past 10 years, the State has received good rainfall this year which led to floods in Krishna and Godavari rivers for the past 70 and 40 days respectively. This led to sand scarcity," the minister reasoned and maintained that the government was trying all possible ways to overcome the sand crisis by supplying sand from patta lands.
Stating that 10 crore metric tonnes of sand is available in the rivers due to the floods, he said there will be no problem for sand supply in the State for the next five years. “Every year, the State requires about 2 crore metric tonnes of sand. It means there will be no problem for sand supply in the next five years. Moreover, it looks like the floodwater is receding. And whenever the floodwater level comes down at sand reaches, the mining will be resumed and the required quantity of sand will be supplied to the customers,” Peddireddy observed.
"After launching the new sand policy in September first week, we have provided 5,000 tonnes of sand a day and the same has increased to 45,000 tonnes. Already, 5 lakh tonnes of sand has been supplied to 1,295 bulk consumers," the minister pointed out. Around 50,000 tonnes of sand has been supplied to CREDAI and other realty companies. Action has been taken so that there will be no trouble for the construction workers.
Taking a dig at the Opposition TDP, he said leaders of the yellow party, who were looting sand from rivers, were politicising the issue after the YSRC government put an end to the practice. Recalling the `100 crore fines imposed on the State government headed by N Chandrababu Naidu by the National Green Tribunal for looting sand, he said the YSRC government would ensure transparency in mining and supply of sand.