District Collector T.S Chetan instructed officials on Wednesday to allow the transportation of sand only in vehicles equipped with GPS and registered with the Department of Mines.
Chairing a review meeting with the line departments overseeing free sand operations, he directed the officials to plan for streamlining the booking and transportation processes for sand users, stating that sand should be sourced from the stockyard, allowing general users to arrange for transportation themselves.
Mr. Chetan suggested the field staff to explore the option of home delivery using government-provided vehicles, subject to indicating their preference at the time of booking. Transport fees, determined by the District Level Sand Committee (DLSAC), should be based on vehicle type and distance.
He mandated the utilisation of bulk booking vehicles and directed that supply vehicles must display a ‘free sand transport vehicle’ banner. The installation of CCTV cameras at the reaches and stock points, and the presence of Police, Revenue, and Mining department officials at each stockyard, with a prohibition on night-time vehicle access was also mandated.
The Collector warned of strict action against incidents of overcharging of sand transportation fees to alleviate undue financial burdens on consumers.
The meeting was attended by the Deputy SP (Dharmavaram) T. Srinivas, Revenue Divisional Officer D. Bhagyarekha, and officials from the Revenue and Mines departments.
Published - September 04, 2024 08:19 pm IST
