Anantapur: About 18 check-posts have been formed to curb the illicit transportation of sand to neighbouring Karnataka from Anantapur district, according to joint collector B. Lakshmikantham.
In view of the new sand policy, offering sand free of cost for construction purposes in the state, the district administration has concentrated on controlling the illicit transportation of sand to Bengaluru and surrounding areas, including Bellary, Chitradurga and Tumk-ur districts, as there is a huge demand for quality sand from the rich reaches of Anantapur district.
Joint collector B. Lakshmikantham, who held a review meeting with revenue divisional officers (RDOs), special deputy collectors, tahsildars and village revenue officers (VROs) here on Thursday, said that special vigilance teams had been formed to take stringent action against sand smuggling.
The joint collector said that officials from road transport, mines and geology, the revenue divisional officer, DSP and revenue officials were in the task force teams at all five revenue divisions. The check posts came into effect from Thursday.
In other developments, an e-pass system will be used for the distribution of subsidised groundnut seeds in Anantapur district for the upcoming kharif season, the joint collector said. Seed is given at 33 per cent subsidised prices to groundnut farmers.
The marketing departments were asked to procure 3.90 lakh quinta-ls for the purpose because of the massive failure of the groundnut crop in the recent kharif season.
A biometric system and Aadhaar cards will be compulsory for the farmer to get subsidised groundnut seed.
