Former DGP, tribal leaders seek CBI probe into sand mining

Metro India News | Hyderabad 

Former Director General of Police and National Coordinator of the All Indian Bahujan Samaj Party (AIBSP) Dr J. Purnachandra Rao and former MLA and former Khammam Zilla Parishad Chairman Chanda Lingaiah Dora have demanded a comprehensive CBI probe into alleged irregularities in sand mining operations along the Godavari river in Bhadradri Kothagudem and Mulugu districts.

In a joint statement issued on Friday, the leaders alleged that large-scale sand extraction is being carried out under the guise of “desiltation” works associated with the Sitarama Irrigation Project.

They claimed that sand is being excavated and sold through tribal sand societies operating in Bhadrachalam, Dummugudem, Wazeedu and Venkatapuram areas, while local tribal communities are receiving limited benefits from the activity.  Citing estimates presented by Lingaiah Dora, the statement claimed that nearly 5.7 lakh cubic metres of sand are being extracted daily and sold at an average price of around Rs 1,800 per cubic metre. Based on these calculations, the leaders alleged that revenues generated from Godavari sand mining between 2014 and 2026 could exceed Rs 2 lakh crore.

They demanded that the State Government immediately release a White Paper detailing total sand extraction, revenue collections, expenditure incurred and funds allocated for the development of tribal areas. The leaders further alleged that there were serious deficiencies in the implementation of the PESA Act, the Scheduled Areas Land Transfer Regulation (commonly known as the 1/70 Regulation), and the Forest Rights Act. 

Expressing concern over what they described as growing threats to tribal lands, languages, culture and religious traditions, the leaders said they would intensify their campaign for greater tribal self-governance and for the creation of a separate “Adivasi State”. They also demanded the inclusion of the Koya language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.