Tue Dec 10 00:30:00 UTC 2024: **Andhra Pradesh Officials Seize 18 Boats in Illegal Sand Mining Crackdown**
RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM, Andhra Pradesh – Authorities in Andhra Pradesh seized 18 boats on Monday in a crackdown on illegal sand mining near four bridges spanning the Godavari River. The operation, led by East Godavari Joint Collector S. Chinna Ramudu, targeted workers excavating sand adjacent to the Road-cum-Railway bridge, Havelock Bridge, Railway Bridge, and Gammon Bridge, all connecting Rajamahendravaram and Kovvur.
The illegal activity posed a significant threat to the structural integrity of the bridges, prompting the Water Resource Department, along with officials from the Dowleswaram Irrigation Circle and Mines and Geology Department, to intervene. Eight boats were seized at Dhobhi ghat and ten at Elinamma ghat.
According to Mr. Chinna Ramudu, the sand excavation, manually carried out by migrant workers hired by local boat owners, is prohibited between the Gammon and Road-cum-rail bridges to protect the bridges. Criminal cases are recommended against the boat operators, and investigations are underway to identify the owners and verify their sand collection licenses. The Mines and Geology Department is leading the investigation.
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