Rayagada: The Maa Majhighariani Tractor Owners’ Association of Rayagada has expressed dissatisfaction over various administrative issues faced during the transportation of sand using tractors. In this regard, they have submitted a demand letter addressed to the Rayagada District Collector and the Tehsildar.
The letter states that the association includes about 70 tractors. The livelihood of around 70 owners’ families, 70 drivers’ families, and approximately 280 daily wage laborers depends on these tractors. The operation of these tractors not only provides royalty income to the state government but also supports nearly 500 families engaged in garages, tire manufacturing, and other related businesses.
As per government regulations, the tractors are operating with valid e-passes from authorized sand quarries. However, it has been reported that at times, tehsil officials seize these tractors and call the mining department to impose fines. Drivers and others are also allegedly threatened during daytime operations.
Rayagada being a remote and traffic-heavy region, it is very difficult to operate tractors at night. Due to the high volume of heavy vehicles at night, the tractor drivers struggle with visibility from their headlights. Moreover, the roads are poorly maintained and mechanics are not available at night in case of breakdowns.
Therefore, the association has formally requested that sand transportation be permitted during the daytime. They pointed out that in cities like Koraput, Jeypore, Similiguda, and Nabarangpur, sand-carrying tractors operate during the day. As ongoing development projects are facing delays due to these restrictions, the association president Padmanabha Das and others urged the district administration to intervene and resolve the issue.