The construction activity has been severely affected in Prakasam district in view of the shortage of sand. The eight sand reaches now open for mining in and around Ongole are just not enough to meet the demand, thanks to the mushrooming of apartments and individual houses within the city and elsewhere.
As a result, construction activity both in the public and private sector has been adversely hit, according to sources in the Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Associations of India (CREDAI). “The construction activity is very dull now in view of sand shortage,” said a builder here Alla Venkateswara Rao.
The problem of the builders has been compounded in the absence of the construction material, hitherto imported from neighbouring Guntur district.
With no major rivers in Kandukur and Markapur revenue divisions, no sand is available within the district in as many as 25 of the 56 mandals.
Builders there are dependent on import of construction material from other districts now.
Taking a serious note of the present situation, the district administration plans to set up stock points in Markapur and Kandukur divisions and make available sand through the Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation from neighbouring Nellore and Kadapa districts.
“To begin with one depot each will be set up in Markapur and Kangiri to make available sand to builders in southwest and western mandals,” said Collector P. Bhaskar in a conversation with The Hindu .
“We are also exploring the possibility of mining sand from new sand reaches also,” he added.
