The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has urged the government to curb “illegal sand mining” from river Arani in Satyavedu Assembly constituency in Sri Balaji district.
In a letter to Minister for Mines and Geology Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy, TDP Polit Bureau member Varla Ramaiah on Saturday alleged that sand from the river bed was being smuggled to Tamil Nadu.
“The indiscriminate mining poses a threat of flash floods to the villages in the vicinity and also to the paddy, sugarcane and other horticulture crops,” he said.
The TDP leader urged the government to take action against the sand mafia before the situation deteriorated further. Besides, the illegal activity also caused a dent in the State revenue, he said.
Explaining the modus operandi of the mafia, Mr. Ramaiah said, “Sand is first loaded into a vehicle registered in Andhra Pradesh, and accordingly a waybill is prepared. After crossing into Tamil Nadu, the sand is shifted to a vehicle belonging to that State. The vehicle from Andhra Pradesh makes several trips using the same waybill.”
YSRCP leaders blamed
Expressing concern over the issue, he said it could lead to change in the course of the river and depletion of groundwater. He alleged that there were enough indications to suggest that the local officials were hand-in-glove with the mafia with the tacit support of the YSRCP leaders.
