JANGAON/ MAHABUBABAD: The remote villages of Nashkal, Kunoor, Wadlakonda, Yeswanthapur and Chilpur in Jangaon district, along with Macharajpalle, Yerrabelligudem, Brahmanakothapalle, Munugalvedu and Nellikudur mandal in Mahabubabad district, situated near the expansive Akeru river, have become hotspots for illegal sand mining. Outsiders are strictly prohibited from accessing the sand mining areas, and those attempting to enter are intercepted and questioned.
Sources revealed that villagers are operating large-scale sand mining operations using heavy machinery, including excavators and earthmovers, to dig sand from the riverbed. This sand is then transported via tractors.
The sources added that the lack of effective monitoring by district administrations and revenue authorities in Jangaon and Mahabubabad has allowed indiscriminate sand mining to continue unchecked. Daily, an estimated 18 to 25 tractor loads of sand are extracted and dumped on the outskirts of villages bordering the two districts.
According to Mahabubabad police, 196 tractors transporting sand illegally have been seized, and 143 cases have been registered against 212 individuals involved in sand mining within the district’s limits.
Due to inadequate enforcement, illegal mining persists, with sand extracted to dangerous depths that could adversely affect the groundwater table in these areas, the sources pointed out. They also noted that the process of seizing vehicles and filing police cases is routine for the illegal sand miners. Operators often pay fines through the courts and retrieve their vehicles from the Mandal Revenue Office (MRO), enabling them to continue operations.
Jangaon Collector Rizwanbasha Shaik told TNIE that steps are being taken to curb illegal sand mining in the district. “We have already closed illegal sand mining operations in Chilpur, Yeshwantpur and Devurupula villages. Meetings are being conducted with gram panchayats to raise awareness among villagers and discourage sand mining. We are also identifying and taking action against those operating these illegal activities,” Shaik said.
When TNIE contacted Mahabubabad Additional Collector Lenin Vatsal Toppo for comments, he was unavailable.
