Boatmen’s associations reluctant to collect sand from Godavari’s banks over lack of remuneration

East Godavari district authorities cancel permission for 89 boatmen's associations due to failure to resume sand collection, impacting construction industry.

East Godavari district authorities have decided to cancel the permission given to 89 boatmen’s associations to manually procure sand from the Godavari after they failed to resume sand collection to tackle the scarcity of sand.

By November 8, only 30 boatmen’s associations were engaged in sand collection in the river banks while 89 associations stayed away from the sand collection citing low remuneration. The payment that was fixed by the government as per the sand policy is barely enough to cover the costs of engaging workers coming here from other States, say the associations.

Officials led by Collector P. Prasanthi and Joint Collector S. Chinna Ramudu inspected the open sand reaches and held talks with the boatmen’s associations on Saturday and Sunday. The talks failed to yield results with 89 associations failing to turn up.

“Many associations did not attend the Sunday talks. We are clueless about their grievances and challenges. At present, our immediate move is to cancel the permission given to them for sand collection and replace them with new associations,” Joint Collector S. Chinna Ramudu told The Hindu.

The 30 boatmen’s associations involved in sand collection were given a target of collecting 1,000 to 2,000 metric tonnes of sand daily from the Godavari’s banks. 

“Sand collection by the associations should be intensified to ensure that there will be no impact on the construction industry due to scarcity of sand. From Monday, payments will be made directly into their bank accounts,” said Mr. Chinna Ramudu in an official release on Sunday. Assistant Director of Mines and Geology D. Fanibhushan Reddy, Rajamahendravaram Revenue Divisional Officer R. Krishna Naik and other officials were present.