The construction industry in the district is set to feel the pinch ahead as the sand ghats will not open during the winter season due to truant monsoon this year. It could further escalate ongoing shortage of the raw material. Usually, the excavated sand pits gets filled with arrival of flood water from neighbouring Madhya Pradesh, as they bring along the much-needed material to the river beds, ensuring continuous operation post-monsoon. This year, due to the scanty rains during the crucial four months, between June and September in the region, sand ghats will not have new sand to excavate, feel experts in the field. In the district, the sand ghats start digging out sand from April onwards and continue till the first week of June and ghat lease expires by September end. Post-monsoon the ghats reopen and people in trade say the dominant players in the district are trying all possible moves to maintain status quo on ground of deficient rains.

 

The argument being advanced by this lobby is that with no fresh sand to mine, there is no need for another round of auction. But not everyone is buying their theory, as others in the trade say if the Government bows to the pressure of one section, then possibility of illegal sand excavation cannot be ruled out. Regulating Fee: Anticipating shortage in the district and mass arrival of sand from neighbouring Madhya Pradesh to fill in the supply gap, the Maharashtra Government has already stepped to encash the move by leaving a regulating fee of Rs 100 per metric tonne. The said move was notified through gazette publication by Revenue Department on July 24 itself. So a 1000 cubic feet or 44 tonne which fills a regular truck would cost Rs 44,000 per trip. But that may not reflect the actual landing rate as given the high demand, the end customer might have to cough up extra given the hidden charges that supplier might levy to cover-up his expenditure. Apart from Chhindwara and Balaghat from where a bulk of sand might reach Nagpur, the raw material is also brought from neighbouring Bhandara district and partly from Gondia, these two districts have ample sand ghats. Strike: At present the ongoing strike on part of section of truck owners who have come together under the banner of Truck Tipper Owners’ Association has put the construction magnets here in a dock as sand prices has skyrocketed to Rs 70,000 per 1000 to 1100 cubic feet. Contd on page 2