18 sand depots planned in the district
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: In an effort to make sand more affordable for the common people, the state government had announced a new sand policy. The policy will see the construction of depots near sand banks, where citizens can register online to purchase sand. However, this policy has only remained on papers, as still citizens and builders have to purchase sand at high price.
As per the new policy, sand can be collected from the chosen location after paying the royalty online, based on the requirement of the buyer. The government plans to replace the current auction system with the new sand depots. A tender process will be used to select eligible contractors for the construction of the sand depots. While the new sand policy is expected to make sand more affordable for the common people, there are concerns regarding its implementation.
The new sand policy aims to address the high cost of sand, which has made building a house unaffordable for many citizens. Currently, a brass of sand is sold for Rs 6,000 to 7,000, while a truckload of sand costs around Rs 35,000 to 40,000 due to the lack of sand auctions.
Sand on metric tonnes
Under the new policy, sand will be sold on a metric tonne basis instead of a brass basis. The depot will be equipped with wire fencing and CCTV surveillance, and customers will be able to receive SMS updates on their sand purchases. Sand excavation will be limited to between 6 am and 6 pm, and online monitoring of sand stock, sales, extraction, weighing, and customers in the depot will be in place.
18 sand depots in district
District minor minerals officer Kishore Ghodke has confirmed that the new sand depots will be established through a tender process. The government plans to set up 18 sand depots in the district to replace the current auction system.