Rs 1 crore netted as fine for illegal sand transportation

Telangana Vigilance and Enforcement Department has detected 305 cases of illegal sand transportation and extraction, and realised a penalty of Rs 1.15 crore in the State between February and April.
Of these, 241 cases were lodged against vehicles ferrying sand illegally and a fine of Rs 87.23 Lakhs was realised from them from different areas of the State.
In 23 instances, vehicles were found carrying sand in excess of the quantity specified in the transit pass and a penalty of Rs 7.95 lakhs was collected, Director General (Vigilance and Enforcement) T P Das said today.
He said in the remaining 41 cases, lorries were found transporting sand from adjoining Andhra Pradesh in violation of rules and a penalty of Rs 20 lakh was collected.

The Department has kept a close vigil on the illegal extraction and transportation of sand keeping in view the Telangana State Sand Mining Rules, 2015 (TSSMR) formulated recently by the Government, he said in a release today.
Accordingly, the Department conducted surprise raids on illegal sand excavating areas and unauthorised stock yards and seized the building material in large quantity. In addition, it has imposed penalty on those violating rules, Das said.
The Department has detected illegal sand dumps in different places mainly in Mahabubnagar and Karimnagar districts and action has been initiated for disposal of seized sand as per rules, the senior official said.

Firm directions have been issued to field level officials to take stringent action to seize/confiscate the vehicles/machinery involved in illegal excavation and transportation of sand, he added.