Bapatla Collector V. Vinod Kumar at the district level sand committee meeting at the Collectorate on Tuesday. | Photo credit: Special arrangement
Bapatla Collector V. Vinod Kumar said sand mining from areas in the district would be allowed strictly in accordance with environmental clearances and provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Water, Soil and Trees Act, 2002, popularly known as the WALTA Act.
Addressing the District Level Sand Committee meeting at the Collectorate on Tuesday, Mr. Vinod Kumar described sustainable mining and public consultation as the basis for all approvals.
Mr. Vinod Kumar said that sandy stretches have been identified in the Krishna river corridor, including 15 hectares in the Juvvalapalem reach of Kollur mandal. Public opinion should be sought before excavation is allowed, he said and asked officials to complete the process quickly as per regulations.
A preliminary review is required before allowing operations within Oler’s reach, he said.
The Collector said three new sand areas – Chilumuru and two places in Gajurlanka – have been identified in Kollur mandal. Before granting approval, technical experts and officials from various departments will conduct field inspections.
The newly identified Chilumuru area contains 4.9 hectares of sand, while Gajurlanka-A and Gajurlanka-B each have 4.9 hectares.
He ordered the installation of CCTV cameras in all sand areas and linked them with the Collectorate. Sufficient sand is available in the district and measures are being taken to ensure its legal and regulated supply, he added.
Bhavana Joint Collector Vishishta and other officials attended the meeting.
Published – 18 Nov 2025 18:37 IST
