DMs told to crack down on illegal sand mining and storage

Lucknow: To check illegal mining and storage of sand during the monsoon, the Uttar Pradesh geology and mining department has directed the district magistrates to carry out geo-tagging of the spots where sand has been stored and to install CCTV cameras for vigil on the activities of contractors

Lucknow: To check illegal mining and storage of sand during the monsoon, the Uttar Pradesh geology and mining department has directed the district magistrates to carry out geo-tagging of the spots where sand has been stored and to install CCTV cameras for vigil on the activities of contractors.

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With just a week left in the closure of sand mining, contractors had expedited work in major rivers across the state and large quantity of sand had been dumped at various sites in Bundelkhand and east UP, said a mining department officer.

In a letter to the district magistrates, secretary, geology and mining, Roshan Jacob said the permission to store sand at the dump sites was given to ensure that adequate sand was available to the people as well as construction agencies during monsoon. There was no shortage of sand and ‘maurang’ during rainy season and they were available at reasonable rates. Sand mining would remain prohibited from July 1 to September 30, she said.

The sand and ‘maurang’ would be stored at the spots approved by the district administration. The name of the contractors and the rate of the mineral would be displayed on a board along with geo-tagging of the spot. This would be connected with Mine Mitra portal so that the officers in the directorate office in Lucknow could monitor the activities at the sand stores. The DMs would maintain vigil on the supply of sand at various spots in the district, Jacob said.

A mining department officer said in the raids conducted in various districts, illegal sand mining with machines was detected at various spots. FIRs had been registered against the contractors while confiscating the machines and trucks.

In Banda illegal sand mining was detected in river Ken while in Hamirpur illegal mining was seen in river Betwa. At some places it was found that sand mining was goning on in the river bed, endangering aquatic life..

The geology and mining department has set the target of ₹4,000 crore revenue in the year 2020-21. It collected ₹3120 crore after the state government permitted sand mining during corona Curfew and partial lockdown, the officer said.

The mining department has lodged 536 FIRs in 2020-21 on the charge of violation of mining rules as well as storage of sand. The role of the district mining officers had been detected in illegal mining and departmentsl inquiry had been ordered against half a dozen officers, he said.