Supply constraints: With the crackdown on trade, the supply of river sand has dried up triggering sharp increase in the price of sand and also in its illegal mining. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement more-in The Department of Revenue and Disaster Management has initiated the process to register persons desirous to import sand from foreign countries following the notification of The Puducherry Import of Sand, Transportation and Storage, Rules and the Union Agriculture Ministry giving exemption to the Karaikal port to handle sand for non-agriculture purpose. The acute shortage of river sand for the construction purpose has prompted the government to allow import of the material from foreign countries. Following the Cabinet decision, the government notified the rules allowing interested persons to register with the Department of Revenue to import sand in the first week of June. The imported sand in bags of 50 to 100 kg or jumbo bags would be sold to individuals at a price fixed by a government-appointed committee. Quarantine certificate Sources said the government had notified the rules after the Ministry of Agriculture exempted Karaikal port to import sand for construction purpose. The port had the facility to quarantine sand for agriculture purpose. Under the Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order, 2003 any agriculture product, including weeds, seeds and sand, have to get a quarantine certificate to restrict entry of invasive species. As per the order, a port should have the facility to test the sand for seeds/eggs of alien plants and animals. The invasion of alien species could cause ecological damage. Besides the sand should be tested for the presence of toxic material, said an official. A senior official said a laboratory would be set up at Karaikal port to test sand for alien substances and poisonous metal. The rules notified by the government warranted an importer to obtain a phytosanitary certificate ( an inspection certificate issued by a competent authority to show that a particular shipment has been treated to be free from harmful pests and plant diseases.) With statutory and security provisions put in place, the Revenue Department had initiated the registration process to give import permits. District Collector and Special Secretary (Revenue) Satyendra Singh Durasawat told The Hindu that the department was getting several enquiries for obtaining licence. “There have been several inquiries after the notification was issued. We have started the registration process,” he said. He expressed optimism that the price of sand would become competitive as there would be several players. A committee would fix the price after considering all factors, he added. The construction industry was of the view that the price of sand would come down drastically from the present rate which was ranging between ?20,000 and ?30,000 for a truck load. The unavailability of sand was a concern for the government as several development works, including Centrally sponsored schemes, got delayed, said an official. With the ban on mining in place, illegal excavation of sand thrived in the riverbeds of Sankarabarani which even led to the death of a Plus Two student at Korkadu here a few weeks ago.

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