SIRCILLA: Indiscriminate sand mining continues unabated at various places causing not only systematic destruction of the natural resource and damaging groundwater aquifers but also leading to clashes among the villagers.
Locals from Ram Lakshmanpally and Avunoor villages in Mustabad mandal clashed when sand was being transported from Manair vagu on Thursday.
Officials issued orders directing payment of Rs. 200 to the concerned village panchayat for every vehicle which was transporting sand and asked the panchayat to use the money for development of the village.
Taking advantage and ignoring orders issued by officials, the mafia started mining tonnes of sand from Manair vagu in the borders of Ram Lakshmanpally and Avunoor villages and transported them illegally using hundreds of tractors.
Thursday morning when some persons were transporting sand, Avunoor villagers stopped the tractors and asked them to pay money to the village panchayat. However, they refused to pay stating that they were paying Rs. 100 for every tractor to the Ram Lakshmanpally village panchayat.
Meanwhile, the villagers of Ram Lakshmanpally village who reached the spot started arguing with the villagers of Avunoor. When the husband of Avunoor sarpanch Baddhi Bhanu along with villagers did not allow the tractors to pass through, the argument led to clashes in which Baddhi Bhanu sustained minor injuries.
On receiving information, the police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control.
