Villagers who inhabit close to over 35 identified sand reaches in the district are reportedly intimidating consumers and selling sand at their will, alleged district president of Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Association of India (CREDAI) K. Subash Chandra Bose.
Talking to The Hindu on Friday, Mr. Bose said that the government though had declared free mining of sand at identified reaches, villagers, with the connivance of local elected leaders, had not been allowing consumers to lift sand.
As a result, adequate quantity of has not been available for the past six months and construction works suspended thus causing hardship to hundreds of workers, he said.
Mr. Bose said that the district-level committee though had fixed rates per unit cost (a tractor load) of sand between ₹1,300 and ₹1,700, including loading and transportation charges, from the nearest sand reach to Vizianagaram, Bobbili, Parvathipuram and Salur municipalities and surrounding panchayats, this was not being followed.
He said the rate per unit cost of sand, which was hovering between ₹1,500 and ₹2,000 prior to announcing free sand policy by the government, had now gone up to ₹3,000 to ₹4,000.
Mr. Bose demanded that the district administration control the rate and identify more reaches as majority of individuals and realtors were finding it difficult to procure sand.
Moreover, he said fine sand that was available mainly in Srikakulam and supplied to Visakhapatnam must also be supplied to Vizianagaram as it was a must for plastering of walls. He also demanded that the revenue and police officials act tough on villagers obstructing mining of sand at reaches.
