MULUGU: The Mulugu district police have intensified their crackdown on illegal sand mining, filing 137 cases and seizing 137 trucks involved in the illicit activity.
The police are collaborating with officials from the Revenue, Mines, and Geology Departments to combat the issue. According to the Water, Land & Trees Act (WALTA), sand mining is prohibited in the district, but illegal activities persist due to insufficient monitoring by local authorities.
Most of the illegal mining operations and sand storage sites have been identified in the Godavari catchment areas of Mulugu district. In Jangaon district, illegal sand mining activities are ongoing in Ghanpur, Ragunathpally, Chilpur, and other rural areas.
Mulugu SP Dr. P. Shabarish stated, “We have filed cases against those involved and are working to alleviate traffic congestion caused by sand trucks on the highway.”