Nizamabad: Sand storm hits Bodhan Tahsildar office

Bodhan (Nizamabad): Farmers staged a protest in front of Tahsidlar office here on Wednesday alleging that a sand quarry run by Telangana Mineral Development Corporation (TMDC) on Manjira River in Mandarna village, Bodhan mandal, has drastically reduced groundwater levels.

Later, the farmers of Mandarna, Hunza and Khajapur villages have submitted a memorandum to Bodhan Tahsildar demanding the closure of the TMDC sand quarry.

Mining department Assistant Director (AD) Satyanarayana was summoned to the tahsildar office. Along with Tahsildar Gapar Bogdan and Rural CI Shakir Ali, the AD held talks with the farmers.

The farmers said that the lorries loaded with sand from Manjira River in Mandarna village will travel via Mandarna, Hunsa, Khajapur and Salura to Bodhan, Nizamabad and Hyderabad.

The quarry organisers are categorically told to stop sand mining. Hunsa villagers have been doing hunger strike for several days demanding closure of sand quarry.

The miners, revenue department officials and police had a heated argument with the farmers stating that sand trucks are running with the government permission and it is not good to block them. The officials even warned the farmers of registering cases against them. The farmers and villagers stated that they will complain to the District Collector and aske him to close the quarry.

Mining AD Satyanarayana, CI Shakir Ali, Tahsildar, SI Ahmed, Hunsa ex-sarpanch Sivaraj and Mandarna sarpanch Gangadhar appealed the farmers to withdraw their protests.