MUMBAI: Less than a year after it introduced a sand mining policy which gave the government sole rights to excavate sand and sell it from its own depots, the state cabinet on Wednesday, revised it to introduce the online sale of sand by the government.
The cabinet also decided that the rate of sale should be on a no profit no loss basis. A single tender will be invited for the excavation of sand, its transport to the depot and the construction of the depot.
The royalty fees for the Mumbai metropolitan region will be Rs 1200 per brass (Rs 267 per metric ton) while that for regions excluding this will be Rs 600 per brass (Rs 133 per metric ton). Buyers will have to pay for the transport from the depots.
The sand mining policy was aimed at curbing the illegal extraction of sand especially from areas around river beds and its sale on the black market. It was also aimed at stopping the extraction of sand by private bodies and the transport of heavy trucks carrying sand on rural roads.
The government hoped that its involvement in the sale of sand would bring down prices and therefore, construction costs.
There will be depots in all districts for storage and sale of sand. A technical committee at tehsil level would monitor the riverbed for excavation while a committee headed by collector would oversee the tendering and sale. The rulings of the National Green Tribunal will be followed, officials said.
