Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari Directs Action Plan for Fair Sand Distribution and Mining Oversight in Key Telangana Districts
(Judicial Quest News Network)
Hyderabad,11, February,2025.In a strategic move to address sand availability and distribution for housing projects, Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari today held a comprehensive teleconference with the collectors of six major districts—Bhupalpally, Mulugu, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Peddapalli, Mancherial, and Karimnagar. The meeting focused on creating a coordinated action plan to ensure that sand is accessible in sufficient quantities and supplied to consumers at a fair and regulated price.
Action Plan to Ensure Transparent Sand Supply
During the teleconference, Santhi Kumari emphasized the need for immediate steps to streamline sand mining and distribution processes. She instructed the district collectors to form a joint task force, involving officials from the revenue and police departments. This team is tasked with conducting thorough physical inspections of sand reaches and stockyards. The inspections will be led by officers of the rank of Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) and Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP). The team will also review the entry and exit points of stockyards and reaches, evaluating the available infrastructure and security measures.
The objective of these inspections is to identify any operational gaps or irregularities in the sand mining and distribution process. Collectors have been directed to propose corrective actions based on their findings, ensuring transparency and preventing unauthorized activities.
Road Patrols and Monitoring of Sand Markets
To further enhance accountability, the Chief Secretary instructed that dedicated road patrol teams be formed, comprising officials from the police and transport departments. These patrols will focus on monitoring the routes leading to major sand markets across the state. The aim is to ensure that the transportation of sand is carried out lawfully and without disruption, preventing any illegal transportation or hoarding.
Additionally, the Chief Secretary stressed the need for round-the-clock surveillance of sand reaches and stockyards. This will ensure that no unauthorized sand extraction takes place, maintaining fair practices across the board.
Review of Mining Operations and Sand Availability
Earlier, Santhi Kumari held a detailed review meeting with various high-ranking officials to discuss the sand mining process. The meeting also involved key stakeholders such as DGP Jitender, Intelligence DG B. Shivadhar Reddy, ADGP (Law & Order) Mahesh Bhagwat, Mines Principal Secretary N. Sridhar, Transport Commissioner Surendra Mohan, HYDRAA Commissioner A.V. Ranganath, DMG Shashanka, and TGMDC MD Susheel Kumar. During the session, they discussed the optimization of the sand mining process, with a focus on ensuring the equitable distribution of sand for construction purposes and minimizing disruptions in the supply chain.
A Collaborative Effort for Transparent Sand Mining
The Chief Secretary’s directives represent a multi-departmental approach to ensuring the effective regulation of sand mining and distribution. By involving law enforcement, revenue officials, and transport authorities, the government aims to implement a robust monitoring system that will improve transparency, ensure fair pricing, and curb illegal sand mining activities. This collaborative effort underscores the administration’s commitment to supporting housing and infrastructure development while ensuring that the state’s natural resources are managed responsibly and equitably.