-Galla S Kiran Kumar,Bureau Chief Telagana (Andhra Pradesh)
On Friday, ‘Eenadu-NewsToday’ and ETV teams inspected 40 sand reaches in nine joint districts. Between 8.30 am and 3 pm, they stayed in each reach for an average of three hours and observed sand dunes.
Every Reach.. Oh Mini KGF!
The Minister and the Director of Mines who claim that they are only extracting sediment ,
but in many places in the state, sand mining
is carried out with heavy machines . The NewsToday team
On Friday, ‘Eenadu-NewsToday’ and ETV teams inspected 40 sand reaches in nine joint districts. Between 8.30 am and 3 pm, they stayed in each reach for an average of three hours and observed sand dunes. Excavation and loading are going on with heavy machines in 31 places. Sand mining is going on in all the sand reaches examined in the districts of Sangam Prakasam, Nellore, Kadapa, Anantapur and Kurnool. In joint Chittoor district 10 reaches were examined at seven places, in joint Srikakulam district 9 reaches were examined at four places, four reaches were examined at three places in joint Krishna district.
Anyone with eyes can see the illegal sand mining going on in the sand reaches of the state. Even if you go to those reaches on Saturday, you will see exactly the same scenes. Each reach represents a small size KGF. In many places the outlaws guard the private army and prevent any outsiders from entering the reaches. Teams of ‘Eenadu-ETV’ were also stopped at many places. A ‘NewsToday’ reporter who went to inspect Singuru dock on the Nagavali river in Kogunuru in Amadalavala constituency of Srikakulam district was stopped two km before.
There is no mining in sand reaches anywhere in the state. Sand mining has been completely stopped in 110 open reaches in compliance with NGT orders. Excavation will be started only after obtaining environmental permits. At present, only desilting is taking place in rivers and reservoirs. That too they are doing only dredging through boatmen societies. However, the excavations in Araniyar river in Chittoor district were stopped at some point. All these subhasitas were said.. In reality, Minister of Mines Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy, Director of that department Venkat Reddy. The state administration held a press conference on Thursday at the Kuluvunda Secretariat and told blatant lies without any pretensions. It was confirmed that there is no excavation going on anywhere.
Minister who is blindfolded! No sand mining in open reaches anywhere in the state? Not using heavy machinery? It is known to all that in the sand reaches of many districts of the state, under the leadership of Vaikapa leaders, sand mining is going on without distinction day and night with heavy machinery. However, the Minister and Director of Mines are saying so strongly that they should really respect the orders of NGT and Supreme Court and see if they have stopped the mining. Minister Peddireddy’s own district, Chittoor, including Araniyar river, is mining sand with heavy machinery at many places in the state. Hundreds of lorries are moving thousands of tons of sand from the reaches. Illegal sand mining has not stopped anywhere.
The incident that took place in Chatukupadu of Prakasam district on Friday evening is a direct proof that the environment is being damaged due to arbitrary sand mining and the underground water is being drained. 9 tippers and an excavator, which were illegally transporting sand, were stopped by Chatukupadu villagers at 5 pm. Vehicles were taken from Paleru river into the village. Immediately Singarayakonda SS Sriram came and threatened the villagers as to why they blocked the vehicles. Isn’t it the height of sand illegality that the police, who are supposed to stop illegal sand mining, stand by the sand illegals and threaten the villagers?
Loading in the reaches.. Waybills in the name of stock yards!
The illegals are taking new steps to claim that everything is going on properly by looting Patpapag sand without permits and against the rules. ‘Eenadu-ETV’ teams saw scenes of sand being dug up with heavy machines and loaded into trucks in many reaches. On examining the way bills given to the lorry drivers, it seems that sand is being taken from a stock point located elsewhere. The illegals are doing such manipulations to mislead the NGT and the courts that there is no sand mining in the reaches. Sand transporters have waybills dated September 1 in all reaches. In many places, the quantity and price of sand are not mentioned in the bills.
Aren’t these all illegal mining?
- There are five open reaches and two desilting points in Nellore district. In the open reaches of Padmati Kambhampadu, Minagallu, Viruvur, Mudivarthi and Pallepadu areas, sand mining is going on at will with heavy machinery. Locals say that these excavations are being done under the leadership of Vaikapa leader of Kavali mandal.
- At Marali in Kauthalam mandal of Kurnool district sand is being mined in Tungabhadra river with heavy machines. Locals said that 150-200 lorries of sand are being transported from here regularly.
- Scenes of large-scale sand mining with heavy machines were seen in Araniyar, Swarnamukhi and Neeva rivers in the joint Chittoor district.
- Sand mining in Penna river at Peddappur in Anantapur district has not stopped. 200 tippers and 100 tractors are constantly moving. Most of them are being shifted to Betanchars of Kurnool district.
- Sand is being mined in Veparalla reach of Vedavati river in Rayadurgam of Anantapur district. Locals say that they are moving to neighboring Bellary.
- Sand mining is being carried out by hiring private persons at Mandaram jetty in Rajampet mandal of joint Kadapa district.
- Sand is being mined at Jangalapalle of Siddhavatam mandal and way bills are being issued in the name of Kammapalem stock point.
Machines with teeth are the evidence..
At 10.45 am..
At 10.45 a.m. in the reach at Kamepalli Mandal of Prakasam District, sand mining with machines.
At 1.54 pm..
Sand loading with heavy machinery in Tungabhadra at Kauthalam mandal of Kurnool district at 1.54 pm on Friday. Although sand is being loaded here, waybills are being issued in the name of stock points at nearby Gudikambali.
At 8 o’clock in the morning
Sand loading at 8 am in Lakshampally reach of Yallanur mandal of Anantapur district. The followers of a former MLA in that district are managing this reach.
At 12.15 pm..
Sand mining going on at 12.15 pm on Friday in Nagavali River at Killipalem, Srikakulam Gramin Mandal.
If anyone asks , they show a convincing waybill saying that they are taking this sand from Naira storage center.
At 9.30 am.
There was a rush of tippers and tractors with sand loading at Jangalapalle dock of YSR district Siddawatam mandal at 9.30 am on Friday. The brother of the chairman of a corporation, who is a relative of the CM, is running the wheel in all the sand reaches in this district.
At 11.30 am.
Sand being loaded into a lorry by JCB at 11.30 am on Friday at Ganiathkuru reach of Kanchikacharla mandal of the joint Krishna district. The price is not written in the waybills given here.
At 10.30 am..
Minister Peddireddy said in a press conference on Thursday that sand mining in Araniyar river in joint Chittoor district has been stopped. But this film is a direct example that Araniyar excavations in Nagalapuram Mandal did not stop. At 10.30 am on Friday morning, Nandan and Subbanaidu will dig sand at Kandriga. Are these happening without the knowledge of Minister Peddireddy?
Nandan in Araniyar loading sand at Subbanaidu Kandriga where the waybill issued on Friday (dated 1.9.23)
Sand loading with heavy machinery to the tippers at 10.29 am on Friday in the Penna river at Peddappur of Anantapur district.
