Andhra Pradesh Department of Mines Director V G Venkata Reddy has denied the media reports concerning the illegal sand mining operations in the state and said the articles were nothing further from the truth in a strongly worded press release on Thursday.
“The sand mining process is under the old contractor since the tenders are in the final stage to identify the new agency. It will be completed soon. Further sand excavations are being done within the authorized reaches and the few media reports are bringing the Chief Minister’s Office into the picture for political reasons,” said the director Venkata Reddy.
The director of mines questioned the veracity of the article and said, “Is it the CMO that has tendered today’s sand operations in the state?”
He expressed anguish at the misleading reports where few people involved in the sand mining operations used the CMO’s name to create misconceptions.
“We have conducted tenders for sand in three packages across the state in the past. JP company was selected as the successful bidder in these tenders. Sand operations have been done for the last two years and they continue the operations till the tenders are conducted again. On the other hand, we are once again conducting the process of tenders for sand operations through the central government organization MSTC, which has not been completed yet,” said the mine’s director.
To put into perspective, during the rainy season sand operations are stopped and the company mined during the summer would be stored for sale. “But few media continue to publish distorted stories by claiming that some outsiders are carrying out sand mining by alleging to have permission from the CMO,” said Venkata Reddy.
Criticizing the media publications, the director of mine said people publish stories without even the slightest knowledge of a topic. “In the past, the sand mafia has filled its pockets on a large scale in the name of free sand policy. Why didn’t the media see that as a crimes? Under the leadership of CM Jagan, the government brought the sand policy in a very transparent manner. Sand is being provided to the people at an affordable price and there is no shortage of sand even during the rainy season,” the mines director added.
“Sand tenders are being conducted by MSTC, a Central Government sector organization, recognized as Miniratna without any scope for criticism. Anyone can participate in these tenders. Then why would the media write stories on assumptions and claim that ‘illegal sand mining is going on in the districts’ and ‘sand mining is going on under the leadership of Pulivendula leader brothers.’ If they do not stop publishing such false articles, we will take legal action against the media,” warns the mine’s director.
