Dist admin, PCMC police seize sand worth ₹1.31 crore in raid on illegal mining operation

PUNE The district administration, in association with the crime branch, Pimpri-Chinchwad police, raided an illegal sand-mining operation underway on the Indrayani riverbed, and recovered sand worth ₹1

PUNE The district administration, in association with the crime branch, Pimpri-Chinchwad police, raided an illegal sand-mining operation underway on the Indrayani riverbed, and recovered sand worth ₹1.31 crore, on Saturday night.

HT Image

The crime branch has taken 14 persons into custody, and seized a hydraulic machine from Charholi.

The mining was being carried out on the riverbed under the pretext of hyacinth being cleaned from the river, police said.

PCMC police commissioner Krishna Prakash has ordered a crackdown on the illegal sand mafia operating in the area under the commissionerate.

Similarly, the district administration’s revenue department, which has supervisory authority to raid illegal sand-mining spots, stated that the drive will be expanded further.

It may be recalled that the district administration seized and destroyed 40 boats used for sand mining in the Bhima river basin over the past one month.

The Bhima basin riverbed, according to police, is the hub of sand mining in the district and is known to have good quality sand, which is in very high demand for construction projects.

In October and November 2020, the administration seized and destroyed 80 boats used for excavating sand illegally, and made 50 arrests.