Date | Dec 26, 2017:

With construction activity picking up across the district and new roads being laid, the menace of illegal sand mining has once again reared its head.

Months after The Hindu reported about illegal mining at Cheryal, similar allegations have surfaced at Dasugadd Tanda, barely 15 km from the district headquarters.

Just about a kilometre from Sangareddy-Narsapur road, one has to take a left turn and travel for some distance to see new chasms that run so deep that two-storey buildings could be buried in them. Digging of red sand, a crucial component in construction, has been taking place over past few months, but officials are allegedly looking the other way.

The digging has been taking place in assigned lands, which were earmarked only for the purpose of cultivation, and officials can take them back for any violation.

After the issue came to light, the digging has stopped. Officials seized two earth-moving machines and two tippers, imposed a fine of ₹25,000 for each of the two machines and ₹10,000 each for two tippers. But, the offenders were allowed to go scot-free.

Officials reason that the accused were let off since they belonged to Lambada community and any action against them would have created unnecessary trouble for the administration.

But then, in case of previous raids by the Revenue Department on illegal mining, the offenders had been let off easily.

A district official maintains, “There will always be requirement for red sand. Whenever the issue (of illegal mining) comes to our notice, we act.”

(Source: http://www.thehindu.com/)