Chennai, Jan 1 (NationPress) The Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department has confirmed that no new river sand quarry will be established until the upcoming Assembly elections conclude.

This decision arises from administrative challenges, political dynamics, and ongoing inquiries related to sand mining activities in the state. Previously, twelve river sand quarries operated under the department's authority, supplying sand to authorized yards via private contractors. Yet, these operations faced interruptions following the Enforcement Directorate's initiation of investigations against contractors for suspected money laundering associated with illegal sand extraction.

Consequently, the quarries managed by these contractors were sealed, resulting in a complete halt of legal river sand extraction by the department.

As construction activities persist across Tamil Nadu, the demand for sand has surged. To address this gap, a portion of the sand requirement is currently being sourced from neighboring Andhra Pradesh, which has escalated costs for builders and consumers alike.

In a bid to mitigate the shortage, the Water Resources Department previously identified around 30 new locations for potential sand quarrying, deliberately excluding environmentally sensitive areas. Environmental approvals were also secured for these sites. However, despite these clearances, no new quarries have been activated to date. Last month, plans were made to initiate operations at eight locations, but these initiatives were stalled due to ministerial intervention.

Reports indicate that disagreements arose between departmental officials and the concerned minister regarding the choice of contractors for quarry operations.

While officials favored appointing new contractors, the minister preferred to retain existing ones, leading to a standstill.

Industry representatives, including lorry owners and sand traders, have expressed that this impasse has resulted in significant supply shortages.

With the Assembly elections on the horizon, officials have now resolved not to commence any new quarry operations until after the polls.

A definitive decision regarding the reopening or awarding of quarry contracts is anticipated only post-elections.

Meanwhile, builders and homeowners are facing escalating construction costs as they are forced to rely on more expensive sand transported from neighboring states.