Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has reportedly expressed his disappointment over the attitude of some ministers and also MLAs of ruling coalition diluting the government’sfree sand policy’. Referring to reports of people’s discontent at several policies due to difficulties they are facing as they are being forced to spend a lot of money on sand.
He has expressed his anger on making sand a burden for the common people even after the government introduced the free sand policy with the intention of making sand available to the common and middle class people and not making the purchase of sand a burden for the construction of houses.
Chandrababu warned that any dilution in the free sand policy will not be tolerated and nowhere political interference should be allowed. He made it clear that ministers should take the burden of implementation of this policy and said he expects a change in the situation within the next 10 days.
He said that the real benefit of this scheme should reach common people. Moreover, he said that sand should be widely available in the state, all obstacles should be removed and free sand should be provided to the common people. CM Chandrababu said that he aims to implement the free sand policy in Andhra Pradesh with dignity.
As part of this, he recalled that the government has recently approved the proposal to entrust the management of sand reaches to private agencies. It has decided to introduce private reaches in addition to free reaches. Whatever the name, the Chief Minister asserted various steps are being taken only aiming at providing the sand required by the people at an acceptable price.
On 11th October Chief Minister Chandrababu reviewed the sand police, where officials said to be presented before him many proposals. While the officials requested that by handing over the reaches to private agencies, monitoring of sand stock points, continuous and supply monitoring would be easier.
The CM ordered measures to ensure continuous surveillance and monitoring. It is known that private agencies will be selected through district-wise tenders for the management of sand reaches. The Department of Mines has proposed to start private reaches to increase the availability of sand.
According to this, private individuals, organizations and agencies take permission from the Department of Mines and start their own reaches and carry out sand mining. Sand reaches are currently under the control of the Mines Department as part of the Free Sand Policy.
As it is the rainy season, excavations are not being carried out in the reaches. Officials of the Department of Mines explained that the proposal of private reaches is being made realizing the fact that sand may not be available to meet the demand even if the excavations are started soon.
