Nashik | Dec 19, 2016: Following poor response to e-auction process for sand mines in the last three attempts, the district administration is going to conduct the process once again, this time with a 10% cut in estimated price.

The authorities are expecting better response to the auction process this time, as sand mine sites in Dhule and Nandurbar are already auctioned out.

"There were several factors that were not in favour of sand excavation in Nashik district - mainly the small volume of available sand. Now, that the auction in neighbouring villages is over, the sand miners will focus on the sites in Nashik and hence the administration has decided to hold the auction, albeit with downward revision of prices," a senior official from the district mining office said.

The main factors that went against earlier auctions were heavy rainfall which led to less clarity on the quantity of sand available sand below the water levels, and availability of better quality and quantity sand in neighbouring talukas of Jalgaon, Dhue and Nandurbar districts.

"The quality of sand in the neighbouring districts in rivers such as Girna, Tapi and Narmada are much superior than that in Nashik. Besides, the stocks there are huge, making investments in those stocks more lucrative. So the bidders obviously opted for sand in neighbouring districts," Ramesh Pingle, a businessman supplying building material, said.

In November, the administration had put 12 sites under the hammer for the second time but only four found bidders. The next attempt did not receive any response. Hence, the administration had to reduce the estimated prices by 10%and go for auction again.

In 2014-15, the e-auction of three sand mining sites earned Rs 29.96 crore revenue, while, in 2015-16 the e-auction of four sites earned Rs 88.25 crore. This year, so far, four sites earned revenue of around Rs 22 crore, officials said.

(Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)