CM vows crackdown on illegal sand & mineral mining

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has issued a stern warning to those engaging in illegal mining and sand smuggling and declared that the admin will tackle violators with an iron fist.
Chairing a review meeting on the Mining Department at the ICCC on Saturday, the Chief Minister emphasised that strict action against illegal mining is the only way to boost state revenue and prevent unauthorised exploitation of natural resources. During the meeting, officials presented a report on measures taken last month to curb illegal sand transportation and to increase revenue.
The Chief Minister directed them to ensure that all sand required for government projects, including those under Irrigation, R&B, and Panchayat Raj departments, is supplied exclusively through the Telangana State Mineral Development Corporation (TGMDC).
The CM said that big construction companies should also procure sand solely through the TGMDC so that government-regulated prices would prevent consumers from turning to illegal sources.
Given the high demand for sand in Hyderabad and surrounding areas, Revanth ordered the establishment of sand stock points at three key locations around the city to cater to small scale buyers.
He also inquired about pending fines on mineral quarries and instructed officials to speed up policy decisions to resolve outstanding issues.
The Chief Minister directed officials to immediately invite tenders for the long-delayed auction of minor mineral blocks to bring transparency to the mining sector. He stressed the importance of ensuring fair, legal distribution of resources and maintaining environmental safeguards.
The meeting was attended by Chief Minister’s Advisor Vem Narender Reddy, TGMDC Chairman Anil Kumar, Infrastructure Advisor Srinivasa Raju, CM’s Principal Secretary V. Seshadri, Secretary Manik Raj, State Mines Department Director K. Shashanka, Mines Department Secretary N. Sridhar, and TGMDC MD Sushil Kumar.