Act tough against illegal sand mining, officials told

. Eluru (West Godavari): West Godavari district Joint Collector Dr T Baburao Naidu has directed the officials to register cases against those involved in illegal sand transportation and take necessary action against them. He took spot decisions on the complaints received from people under Prajavani programme at the Collectorate on Monday and directed the officials to resolve the problems early. The people of Pedavegi village complained to the Joint Collector that sand from the Tammileru banks was being illegally transported. The Joint Collector has immediately made a phone call to the Pedavegi Tahsildar Leela Prasad and directed her to keep a close watch on the illegal activities. He told her to seize the lorries that were illegally transporting the sand and book cases against the erring people. A woman Uppanapalli Varalakshmi and other members of the RCM Cooperative Society of Jalipudi village in Pedavegi mandal said that fish ponds in 300 acres, under their possession since 1942, were destroyed even when the 120 GO did not apply for their lands. They said that it was their livelihood and they had no other means of income. The Joint Collector asked the Revenue Divisional Officer to submit a report on the issue immediately. A People from the 8th ward of Koyyalagudem told the Joint Collector that the government had sanctioned three cents of land under housing schemes, but the officials had forcibly destroyed the constructed houses on the land saying that the land did not belong to them. The Survey Department Assistant Director was asked to submit a report on the problem. People from Nallajarla village have complained that flood waters from the forest region were accumulating in the Buchala lake. As the outlet of the lake was blocked, the crops were getting inundated frequently resulting in huge loss. The Joint Collector has directed the Irrigation Department Executive Engineer to study the problem on a war footing basis and take immediate action. B Radha of Eluru has sought for a loan under 'Swayam Upadhi scheme' as she belonged to backward community and was suffering from ill health. The Joint Collector directed the concerned officials to look into the application and take necessary action.District Revenue Officer M Mohanraju and Zilla Parishad CEO D Narayana among other officials were present at the programme.