Mumbai In an effort to reduce dependency on natural river sand, the Maharashtra government has adopted a new policy that encourages the use of M-Sand, or manufactured artificial sand, in building projects.
All district collectors are instructed to expedite and simplify the approval of artificial sand units in accordance with the Revenue Department’s resolution. The action increases supply capacity by raising the maximum number of M-Sand manufacturing units per district from 50 to 100 per year.
The state administration has ordered that land parcels, both private and public, that are appropriate for establishing M-Sand units be posted on the “Mahakhanij” portal for allocation and sale in order to facilitate the implementation. For unit permissions, registered undertakings must submit an application to the district collectors.
Units that do not adhere to the established requirements will have their licenses revoked.
Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule stated that providing a workable substitute for natural sand is “crucial for environmental protection” when he announced the program.
The regulation is viewed as a component of larger initiatives to assure sustainable material supply for the construction sector, stop illicit trafficking, and stop unregulated river-sand mining.
Reducing reliance on diminishing natural sand sources and preventing the environmental damage associated with uncontrolled sand mining are two major issues that the government hopes to solve by promoting the production and usage of artificial sand. Concurrently, more consistent supply of sand substitutes at affordable prices may be advantageous to developers and construction companies.
The state’s demand for housing and infrastructure is growing at the time of the new policy. Maharashtra is putting itself in a position to enable large-scale development activity while adhering to environmental sustainability standards by formally recognizing M-Sand and expediting permissions.
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