The Raipur district administration on Tuesday swung into action to check the once again soaring sand prices following the direction from Chief Secretary Vivek Dhand.

Sources said the administration is issuing rate chart to make sand available between  `4,500 to `5,000 per truck. The summer season is also the time with maximum real estate activity before the onset of the lean monsoon season to take up construction work at various sites.

The sand prices skyrocketed in the State during the lok Sabha polls when the Government machinery was busy with poll related works. The prices jumped to a whopping `8,000 per truck in Raipur besides other parts of the State.

Sources further informed that in Raipur district there are 28 sand mines and only two of them are operating. Operations at other mines have halted due to environment clearance.

After receiving complaints over the monopoly pricing of sand, the Chief Secretary spoke to Raipur District Collector Thakur Ram Singh besides Mining and Environment Department officers and directed to take swift action.

Sources said the Government has also taken steps to bring the sand prices under control by resuming operations at the closed sand mines.

Sources said so far 92 sand mines have received environmental clearance. Now, the administration is speeding up to accord them Mining Department’s approval.

The administration hoped that the price of sand would come down with the opening of the newly approved mines. The Government has also granted clearance to four new sand mines. The Government is also initiating steps to give approval to other sand mines.

Sources said the administration has taken steps to ensure that sand is made available at reasonable rates. Additional Collector Ramesh Sharma said the administration is likely to issue the phone number of the places where the sand would be available to buyers at `4,500 to `5,000 per truck.