More than one lakh workers and thousands of families in Tamil Nadu have been left clueless and without a source of income as illegal mining of river sand in neighboring Andhra Pradesh have peaked over the last two months, according to CD Meyyappan, Secretary,All India Congress Committee.
Meyyappan, himself an entrepreneur, told The Pioneer that more than 300 foundries in Tamil Nadu which directly employ 50,000 workers have been shut down because of the non-availability of silica-rich river-bank sand in Andhra Pradesh.
"Foundries are dependent on silica for their survival but the political developments over the last two months caused by change of government in the State has led to this situation. The cartel of illegal sand miners is a law unto themselves and they do not allow even approved contractors to quarry from the river banks," said Meyyappan.
The Congress leader, who is in charge of Andhra Pradesh Congress, has written to N Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister, asking him to resolve the issue at the earliest so that workers in foundries would not lose their monthly income.
"The sudden stoppage of silica sand supply has had a significant impact on the foundry industry in the region leading to the closure of many foundries and putting the livelihood of numerous workers at risk. As a result thousands of families directly and indirectly dependent on the foundry industry are facing severe financial hardships," Meyyappan says in his letter to Naidu. He has urged the Chief Minister to take immediate steps taking into consideration the gravity of the situation and ensure uninterrupted supply of silica sand to the foundry industries.
"More than 300 MSME units in Tamil Nadu have been shut down because of the silica sand shortage," said Meyyappan.
The disruption in silica sand supply has come at a time when there is indiscriminate looting of river bank sand in the ten districts of Telangana which was exposed by The Pioneer. Suresh Reddy, the US returned entrepreneur and a leader of the BJP is waging a relentless battle against the sand mafia in Telangana at the peril of his own life.
"The illegal mining of sand in Telangana is a joint operation by sand contractors, politicans, police and bureaucrats. Despite the verdict of the High Court and the National Green Tribunal's order asking for a stoppage of unauthorized sand mining, these districts are robbed off the sand with which the youth in Telangana could have made their livelihood," said Reddy.
Mini, Small and Medium enterprises in Tamil Nadu (MSMEs) that employ 1.5 crore workers are facing uncertainty due to the indifferent attitude of the State administration, said S Vasudevan, Executive Secretary, Tamil Nadu Small and Tiny Industries Association.
The TANSTIA has written to the Union Finance Minister asking for urgent help to tide over the financial crisis faced by the units.
