Eco bodys nod to be sought for sand auctions

HYDERABAD: The state government has decided to write to the State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) under the Union ministry of forests, science and technology for permission to auction sand quarries in the state.In the wake of the recent Supreme Court direction that the state should follow the directions of the Union ministry of environment and forests to resume sand quarrying, the mines and geology department will approach SEIAA. A decision to this effect was taken at a review meeting held at the Secretariat on Monday by minister for mines and geology Galla Aruna Kumari.The government identified 47 sand reaches (all below 25 hectares extent). The ground water department permitted sand quarrying in 15  of them. In the case of the other 32 sand reaches, the ground water, irrigation and mines departments are carrying out a joint survey.“A combined and comprehensive survey report will be sent to SEIAA within a week. Once the government gets the permission from the Centre, it will allow district-level sand committees to auction sand reaches. Sand quarrying is expected to yield around 80 lakh cubic metres of sand in the state and provide employment to around 20 lakh persons,’’ the minister added.On Monday, the government vested the AP Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC) with powers to issue sand mining leases. The government identified 31 submergence areas and estimated that around 45 lakh cubic metres of sand was available in those areas. The 31 submergence areas were given to APMDC and it would provide employment to around 14 lakh persons. A few more decisions with regard to sand quarrying were taken at the review meeting. The minister said the sand seized from illegal transporters would be used for taking up governmental works. The respective district collectors have been given instructions in this regard.The sand mining leases given at 29 places on patta lands did not require any environmental clearance from the central government. Those leases were given to APMDC which would provide employment to seven lakh workers. The government also decided to seek permission from the ministry of forests, science and technology for sand auctions.