Use M-sand to save rivers, environment, advises state body

Jaipur: To protect rivers and the environment in the state, Rajasthan M-sand unit holders have advocated for prioritisation of manufactured sand (M-sand) usage in constructions projects. During a meeting at Udyog Bhavan with mines department officials on Tuesday, stakeholders suggested various provisions to be incorporated into the existing M-sand policy. These include royalty concessions, exemption from fuel surcharges, exploration of the possibility of issuing special trading permits (STPs) for M-sand and bringing old crusher units under the purview of the Rajasthan Investment Promotion Scheme (RIPS) to promote the use of this construction material.Pawan Sharma, president of the Rajasthan Stone Crusher Association, along with several other unit holders from different parts of the state, presented the proposal. An official present in the meeting said, "Unit holders highlighted that despite the usefulness and superior quality of M-sand, there is a lack of motivation among the public, non-governmental organisations, and private construction projects to adopt it, except for Hindustan Zinc, highway authority, and railways, which prioritise its use." M-sand unit holders also proposed the utilisation of M-sand silt in a similar manner to fly ash in the cement industry, effectively utilizing the otherwise unusable material. They also advocated for the utilization of mud by BRICS units, which would contribute to zero loss mining practices. tnn
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