BARNAGAR: In a major crackdown against illegal sand mining being carried out on the Gambhir river and Gambhir dam backwater area, administration and police team led by sub-divisional magistrate Dr Yogesh Bharsat, mining officer, tehsildar, naib tehsildar, revenue officials and police personnel raided several places and seized large and small boats at different places. Team seized two large boats weighing about 20 tonnes.
According to information, Barnagar SDM Dr Bharsat conducted raids at Ghatiya and Barnagar tehsil of Ujjain district in Madhya Pradesh after getting several complaints of large-scale illegal sand mining on the Gambhir river and Gambhir dam backwater area.
Briefing about the seizures, Dr Bharsat said that they asked for State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) team from Ujjain district collector Ashish Singh. The SDRF on Tuesday carried out patrolling in the area in a motorboat and saw few boats including two big boats.
We immediately called a crane and took the boats out of water and dismantle them on the spot.
SDM Dr Bharsat said that even though it was around 6.30 pm the evening and it had became dark, the revenue staff did not back down and continued with the action. Case has been registered under the Minerals Act against the illegal sand mining mafia.
Meanwhile, locals claimed that even though local administration and police are leaving no stone unturned to curb illegal mining menace in the area, illegal sand mining continues unabated in the area.
Rampant extraction of sand and its smuggling from the riverbed of Chambal, Gambhir, Kshipra, Luni and other tributary rivers in the area and its adjoining village has apparently taken a toll on the ecological balance here.
Blame it on the alleged nexus between some officials and a local contractor and politicians here, the extraction of sand beyond permissible limits continues unabated in the region.
Sources said one trolley of sand fetches at least Rs 10,000 in the state, however, in this region, sand is as cheap as between Rs 1,000 and 1,200 per trolley and this entire amount goes in the pocket of corrupt officers. Thus, sand mafias are concentrating on this part of the state to make a fast buck.
