Sand supply hits as 89 boatmen associations stay away from sand collection in Godavari river in A.P.

East Godavari District Collector P. Prasanthi inspecting a sand reach in Kovvur Revenue Division in East Godavari district on Saturday (November 09).
| Photo Credit: BY ARRANGEMENT

RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM

As many as 89 boatmen associations are not carrying out the sand excavation from the Godavari River in the East Godavari district reportedly due to the low payment fixed by the government under the new sand policy. As many as 119 boatmen associations have been permitted to carry out the sand excavation from the river Godavari for sale along the banks of river Godavari. 

“Barely 30 boatmen associations are engaged in the sand excavation activity while 89 associations are yet to turn up to accept the work order for the excavation of sand,” said East Godavari Collector P. Prasanthi. 

On Saturday (November 09), Ms. Prasanthi and Joint Collector S. Chinna Ramudu and officials from the Revenue, Irrigation and Groundwater departments inspected the open sand reaches, where they found that many of the permitted boatmen associations were not active in the Kovvur Revenue Division. 

Investigation

Joint Collector S. Chinna Ramudu told The Hindu: “We are studying the challenges of the boatmen associations to carry out sand excavation. We are preparing to cancel the permission of the boatmen associations that have failed to complete the work order given to them as per the requirement and sand policy.”

Each boatmen association comprises at least nine to 10 workers, who dive into the river and collect the sand manually and load it into the boat. A majority of the workers working in the sand excavation are from the Central India. Of the 13 open sand reaches, only six are in operation due to inactive boatmen associations.