Under attack from the Telugu Desam and BJP, the Telangana government has eased the norms for sand mining and its sales. The mode of sale was totally changed and made online. Those who wish to buy can do it through e-seva or Mee Seva, according to T. Harish Rao, minister for irrigation. Sand in TS will be cheapest in India, he claimed. The government has also stipulated timings to transport through trucks or other vehicles. It shall between 6 am to 6 pm only and if anyone is caught transporting at night, they will be punished and their sand seized, the minister made it clear.
The timings were primarily to avoid accidents as many vehicles carrying sand met with accidents at night. The government has also decided to auction over 2 lakh cubic metres of sand it seized over the past months from various places.Sand excavation programme will be started at Karimnagar and the tenders will be opened on Saturday. All other areas will be covered in a phased manner.
Permissions for sand excavation in patta lands will be issued only for the next 45 days or two months.
Permissions for sand excavation in patta lands will be issued only for the next 45 days or two months.
The government has announced a new sand mining policy on December 12 in which it was stated that TSMDC would pick up contractors through competitive bidding. Measures like monitoring sales of sand in the stockyards through CCTVs and electronic documentation would be linked to a central monitoring facility. The TD and BJP alleged that some ministers and TRS MLAs were involved in illegal sand mining and that mafia was ruling the roost.
Consumers in Andhra Pradesh can now get sand at their doorsteps with the state government introducing an online booking system for it.
As per the new system, consumers could either go to the nearest 'Meeseva' citizen services centre or order sand online through 'www.sandbyshg.ap.gov.in' website, an official statement issued today said.
An SMS would be sent to the consumers about delivery of sand and a receipt would also be issued to them. Consumers would be able to find out the status of sand delivery online by using a transaction ID, it said.
The doorstep delivery system is a major positive change after the AP government handed over sale of sand to women-run self-help groups in villages, the release said, adding that gone are those days when the "sand mafia" called the shots in the sale of sand.
Sand sales to the tune of 1.55 lakh cubic metres have taken place after the state government entrusted the system to these self-help groups, it said.
Another 3.27 lakh cubic metres of sand is ready for sale and consumers could register complaints, if any, to a toll-free number mentioned in the release as '20201211800'.
Telangana online sand booking website
official website: http://www.sand.telangana.gov.in/TSSandPortal/Masters/Home.aspx
Andhra pradesh online sand booking website
official website: http://sandbyshg.ap.gov.in/SandMining/UI/Shared/Home.aspx
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