In a first, U.P. govt to soon roll out manufactured sand policy

: To maintain the demand-supply equilibrium, Uttar Pradesh government is considering to promote the use of alternative resources for sand and ‘morang’ for constructionrelated works.

It is going to bring its first M-sand policy to encourage use of manufactured sand (M sand), said a government spokesperson on Wednesday.

Officials from the directorate of geology and mining held a detailed discussion with various stakeholders regarding the draft of the M-sand policy.

Stakeholders, representing different sectors involved in the use and supply of sand, provided their suggestions and recommendations on the draft.

In the meeting, Roshan Jacob, secretary and director of the mining department, stated that UP government had prepared the draft of the M-sand policy by studying policies implemented by several other states. The increasing prices of sand nationwide have led to a surge in the demand for M-sand. Additionally, considering the limited availability of river sand as a future alternative, the state government intends to introduce the policy, said the spokesperson.

Roshan Jacob said the availability of sand in rivers had diminished significantly and there were numerous restrictions on its mining. This situation indicated that the availability of natural sand would continue to decline in near future. To address this issue, the government aims to learn from the experiences of other states like

Karnataka and Maharashtra, where M sand usage ranges from 50 to 90%. These states have successfully implemented policies that promote utilisation of manufactured sand as a substitute for river sand.

According to the statement, Jacob said, “The M sand produced should adhere to the specifications set by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). The quality of M sand surpasses that of normal sand.”

According to additional director Vipin Kumar Jain, M-Sand is a form of artificial sand, which is manufactured by crushing large hard stones, mainly rocks or granite, into fine particles, which are then washed and finely graded. It is widely used as a substitute for river sand for construction purposes. Apart from this, M sand can be made in many ways.

The use of M sand up to 25% can be made mandatory in government contracts, which will be increased to 50% later, the official added.

DIRECTORATE OF MINING HOLDS MEETING WITH STAKEHOLDERS REGARDING THE POLICY DRAFT