CHENNAI: After severe prodding from the judiciary, the Tamil Nadu government finally allowed import of sand from foreign countries like Malaysia and Cambodia, a move that would bring down prices by at least 40 to 50 per cent.
The government decision will also save riverbeds in Tamil Nadu from degrading — a concern that has been expressed by several environmentalists over the past several years.
The Government Order (GO) issued on December 8, a copy of which is available with Deccan Chronicle, says though private companies can import the sand, they can be sold only by the public works department among buyers.
The government order comes more than a month after the Madurai Bench of the Madras high court allowed the import of sand from Malaysia and directed the state government to stop sand quarrying within six months. Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami had in mid-2017 announced that all sand quarries in Tamil Nadu would be closed in the next three years.
Though a few district collectors challenged the order in the Madurai Bench, the government finally decided to swallow the bitter pill after being on the denial for several years. The government order issued by the PWD allows private agencies to sell the sand, but they cannot sell them.
Sources said it effectively means that the government does not want to give up its monopoly on the sale of sand and that is the reason it has kept the selling rights to it.
“The sale of sand imported from other countries or brought from other states and union territories for construction purposes shall be done only by the public works department,” the order said.
However, industry sources demanded the government to import the sand itself rather than allowing private agencies. “The government has not consulted with industry before issuing the order. The order is issued to assuage the court and the government's intention is to hinder the import of sand,” S. Rama Prabhu, secretary, Builders' Association of India said.
If the government allowed the import of sand in true spirit, it would help the struggling industry since they will be available for Rs 100 per cubic feet as against Rs 150 per cubic feet of the river sand sourced in the state, Rama Prabhu added.
According to a PWD official, the department would collect samples and ensure the quality of imported sand as per the prescribed specifications. “The imported sand cannot be transported to other states and union territories. We will chart out the specification and other standards for imported sand soon,” he said.
The Madurai Bench order came after district authorities held up a consignment of 55,000-ton sand imported from Malaysia at Tuticorin port.
