India: Sate Government Lifts Ban on Sand Import.

The state government has lifted the ban on import of sand from outside Maharashtra. This move will now help the projects that were haltedfor non-availability of sand and may ease the property prices that skyrocketed.

According to Mantralaya sources,the government has instructed the officials concerned to allow developers to bring sand-loaded trucks into the city.

Five years ago, the state government had passed a resolution restraining import of sand. “Many city-based developers were importing sand from Gujarat and Rajasthan at a cheaper rate. This had deprived the government from earning a revenueof Rs2,000 crore a year.

As the developers did not participate in the auction process and were reluctant to take up sea beds on rent for dredging, the government slapped a ban on import of sand.

The Maharashtra Chamber of Housing Industry (MCHI) had sought the government’s intervention to redress the acute shortage of sand.

MCHI president Sunil Mantri has welcomed the decision. “We are happy that the ban has been lifted. The situation was turning from bad to worse and affecting the construction projects.

Earlier, the Bombay high court had banned dredging in the state due to the hue and cry raised by environmentalists and locals. As a result, developers had started importing sand from Pakistan. Now, the court has also lifted the ban,” he said.

Sources said that the government has decided to take all possible measures to make sand available to the city. “We do not want to see any project getting stalled for long periods due to non-availability of sand. The construction projects must go on,” said a Mantralaya official requesting anonymity.

The present rate of one truck of sand is more than Rs15,000. It was Rs3,000 a year ago.

Source : dredgingtoday.com