*Illegal sand mining should be stopped: YSRCP*

Tadepalli, July 4: YSRCP has reiterated that illegal sand mining is rampant in the State to an extent of threatening the ecosystem only to benefit a favoured few who are out to plunder the natural wealth.

Speaking to the media here on Saturday, party spokesperson Putta Siva Shankar said, in the name of free sand, vehicle loads are being transported to neighbouring states against the Supreme Court and NGT norms.

Mining on the Krishna riverbed is going up to eight to ten metres against the regulation of mining just one metre, which shows the greed and the level of corruption of the coalition government cadre and leaders.

They have sold out 80 lakh tonnes of sand reserves in various reaches left behind by the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government, and the plunder of natural resources continues unabated using heavy machinery. It is taking place at a stone's throw from the houses of Chandrababu Naidu and Pawan Kalyan.

Such indiscriminate and illegal sand mining will affect marine wealth besides depleting the water level and affecting the environment.

The government, with its vindictive attitude, has been filing false cases against anyone questioning them, while the sand mafia has the patronage of the State.

During the previous TDP term from 2014-19, the NGT imposed a fine of Rs 100 crore for illegal sand mining, and the government has scant respect for the environment or the Green Tribunal, he said.