Illegal sand quarrying, transportation goes unchecked in Telangana

Making most of delayed rains, poor vigilance and enforcement by revenue and other departments, offenders are transporting sand illegally from rivers

Hyderabad: Illegal quarrying and transportation of sand is continuing unabated in different districts across Telangana.

Making most of the delayed rains and poor vigilance and enforcement by revenue and other departments, offenders are transporting sand illegally from rivers.

---

At some places, locals and others are being attacked by those involved in the illegal transportation of sand for raising alarm or abandoning their vehicles.

At Namapur village in Rajanna Sircilla district on June 25, a police constable suffered injuries when the tractor driver drove the heavy vehicle into the lake.

The police had nabbed four vehicles involving in sand transportation. After stopping the tractor,  constable Satyanarayana got onto it and instructed the driver to drive it to a particular location for further inquiry.

However, the driver drove the tractor into the roadside lake and escaped. But constable Satyanarayana was injured.

Vexed with illegal sand transportation, locals at Racherlabobapur in Rajanna Sircilla had caught those involved in the racket and took them to the police station.

A similar incident was reported in the Nagarjunasagar constituency on June 23. Those involved in illegal sand transportation had even damaged the borewells and pipelines in the agricultural fields abutting KK canal, Kummari Kunta, Pulimamidi under Anumula mandal, as they were turning into hurdles for transportation. With revenue officials failing to take any action, the villagers caught many tractors and alerted the Haliya police.

In Nizamabad, illegal sand transportation was reportedly continuing at Kappalavagu in Bimgal mandal. Similarly, unauthorised sand quarrying and transportation was taking place at Kolipaka, Padkal, Manoharabad in Jakranpally mandal. At Peddavagu in Ergatla mandal, offenders were dumping sand on the bund and doing business at will.

Same is the case at the Lingapur lake under Indalvai mandal in Kabatnada of Mehpal mandal. A few complaints were made to the police and revenue departments about unauthorised sand transportation by locals at Bejjora, but hardly any action was taken, according to reports.

In Mahabubnagar too, many complaints are being made over rampant filter sand business. There are reports of unabated sale of filter sand at Nawapet, Jadcherla, Bhootpur, Devarkadra, Hanwada and other places. At Bijnapally, Thadur, Achampet, Kollapur and other places in Nagarkurnool, the sale of filter sand was continuing for many days now, the reports said.

At many places, the local people complain that officials heed to political influence and turn a blind eye. On the other hand, revenue department officials claimed they were intensifying checks and seizing vehicles involved in illegal sand transportation.

“We have limited staff and majority of the officials are entrusted with different tasks. Considering these factors, keeping a check on sand transportation was turning into a challenge,” said an office-bearer of the Revenue Employees Association.

 

CM Revanth Reddy had warned against illegal sand transportation, quarrying   

Meanwhile, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy had strictly warned the Mines and Geology officials that unauthorised sand quarrying and illegal transportation of sand should be stopped immediately.

Despite his instructions, many complaints were being lodged across the State. During a meeting with the officials in February, the Chief Minister had warned that all officials should change their practices within 48 hours.

He told them to identify trucks involved in illegal sand transportation based on the toll gate data on all routes. All existing sand reaches and dumps should also be checked, he had said.