Bhopal: Now, the state government will also sell sand. Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan made this announcement at a function of Narmada Sewa Mission on Wednesday and declared that State Mining Corporation will take care of the trade. State mining policy will be amended to bring sand under price control regime, he said adding that even the system of leasing sand mines will be changed. Two days after banning mining in Narmada and mechanized mining in other rivers of the state, the chief minister on Wednesday seemed to have had a change of heart. At the function he announced that companies engaged in sand mining would be banished and replaced by SHGs of women and youth.
The government had imposed a ban on mining till experts’ panel headed by mining minister submits its report on mechanism and quantity of sand to be mined from rivers. Stating that profit from sale of sand would be distributed among SHGs as dividend, the chief minister said that Mining Corporation would have complete monopoly over mining and subsequent sale of sand. Sand would be made available at a rate affordable even by the poorest, he declared. Ever since state government’s announcement, price of sand have witnessed an upward swing. The chief minister has been forced to make announcement about government handling mining and sale to sand to check black marketing. Social activists said that it would not be easy for the government to take over the entire business. Till then, black marketers will have the last laugh. The buyers, of course, have little to cheer.
