The Andhra Pradesh Government plans to further streamline the sand mining process in the State to ensure there is no pilferage.
The Mines and Geology Department may consider a crackdown on those violating State regulations and taking to illegal mining of sand, particularly from areas where there are curbs barring permission to mine for housing for the poor.
Addressing a media conference here today, the State Mines and Geology Minister, Ms Galla Aruna Kumari, said the revenue for the Mining Department from sand mines has gone up from about Rs 18 crore in 2005-2006 to Rs 160 crore during 2010-2011. The revenue from sand quarries has gone up after the transfer of its management from the Panchayat Raj Department to Mines and Geology Ministry.
She said the police, Panchayat Raj, transport, roads and buildings, irrigation, municipal and revenue departments have been alerted to keep vigil of sand mining and its transport. About 90 sand reaches are functional in the State and its mining have been restricted in the Chittoor, Kadapa, Medak, Nalgonda, Nizamabad, Mahboobnagar, Ranga Reddy and Warangal districts.
Sand mining in these districts has been restricted as there is potential to erode the sub-soil water.
The Minister said the Mining and Geology Department are likely to touch revenues of Rs 2,900 crore during the year 2011-12. Thus far, Rs 1,398 crore has been collected and the Department is confident of achieving the targeted collection during the rest of the current financial year.
She stated that the recent ‘Sakala Janula Samme' in support for separate Statehood has meant a loss of about Rs 85 crore to the Mines and Geology Department.
The crude oil output from ONGC has also come down. The iron ore mining has been stalled due to Supreme Court directions.