21 sand belts to be auctioned
Aurangabad:
The minor minerals department has started activities for the auction of sand belts in the district before January. On November 30, a public hearing will be held under the chairmanship of district collector Astik Kumar Pandey in this regard.
This year, 21 sand belts will be placed before the environment committee for approval and the administration expects a revenue of Rs 7.22 crore. The state government has fixed an upset price of Rs 600 for the sand auction last year and the contractors will have to fill the tender accordingly. Last year, out of the 14 sand belts, only 11 belts were tendered by contractors. In the coming period, a hearing will be held on the objections regarding the sand belts, after which a decision will be taken. After the process, the list of eligible sand belts will go to the State environment committee for approval. Tender process will be conducted only for the belts approved by the two committees.