Take action against illegal sand traders

Nampally: Lorry drivers who transport sand under legal provisions and government norms on Tuesday met Director of Mines & Geology and demanded that the department initiate action against the illegal sale of sand on highways.

According to them, the legal suppliers are at the receiving end because of the mushrooming roadside sand trade, which does not have proper permission.

The members of Sri Vinayaka Lorry Owners Welfare Association led by its working president Manchi Reddy Rajender Reddy met BRV Susheel Kumar, director of Mines & Geology (TS) at his office in Saifabad to discuss the issue. The association demanded that the government find a solution to this problem.

They added that the lives of those involved in sale of sand legally is threatened as the competitors selling sand illegally on highways, for which they do not have proper licence.

They also demanded that the government initiate action against these traders who does not sell pure sand, by degrading the quality which could risk the structure's stability in the long run.

Later speaking to media persons, Rajender Reddy said that the lorry drivers involved in this business ferry sand from far-off places like Kaleshwaram and other places where there are major rivers. But the business of late has been affected because of the illegal trade of sand, which is mixed with rock sand and filtered sand by some traders who are running illegal stockyards and running some 40-50 vehicles during night hours.

This sand is also being transported by small vehicles throughout the day. "This is causing huge loss to the revenue of the genuine transporters who fetch the original sand from far-off places," he said.

He also added that that the director of the department was positive in his approach and assured to do the needful in the coming days. "These traders are causing huge loss to the State government's exchequer by averting tax through illegal business," he said.

The illegal traders allegedly transporting the sand from Karimnagar, Sircilla, Jayashankar Bhupalpally district, Nalgonda, Devarakonda, Kandukur and Maheshwaram. They are selling it on roadside within the city on Balapur-Badangpet stretch and Badanpet - Nadargul stretch, at Chandrayangutta bridge, Bahadurpura -Tadbun road, L B Nagar, Sagar Ring Road X road, Chintalakunta X road, Pahadishareef and Yamjal roads.