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Crackdown on dredging: 15L-kg sand, machines seized in Thane
In a major crackdown on illegal sand dredging, authorities seized 14.94 lakh kg of sand and seized machines, collectively worth ₹6.48 crore, on Monday.
In a major crackdown on illegal sand dredging, authorities seized 14.94 lakh kg of sand and seized machines, collectively worth ₹6.48 crore, on Monday.
No arrests were made as the officials claimed the sand dredgers fled before the raid.
The drive was carried out in Thane, Bhiwandi, Kalyan, Shahpur and Ambernath talukas along the creek and riverfront.
Vaidehi Ranade, additional collector of Thane district, said, “We raided spots along the creek in Mumbra Parsik Retibunder, Kalwa, Kalher, Kasheli, Pimplas, Thakurli, Motagaon and Kharbao. We also cracked down on illegal mining along Ulhas river bed in Ambernath and Shahpur. We seized 32 suction pumps and 25 barges or boats worth ₹6.48 crore. Around 320 brass (14.94 lakh kgs) of sand was seized. We will auction the sand.”
Around 50 trenches, which had been dug up to store sand, were also destroyed.
Ranade said the action will be a periodical drive and will be repeated in the next few
days. “We have not arrested anyone as people fled the spot by the time we reached. We will begin the process of registering cases against unknown persons,” he added.
