Patna, November 20 (Language) Bihar government has instructed the District Magistrates to set up permanent checkposts at sensitive places to curb illegal sand mining. An official gave this information on Monday.
He informed that the process of setting up such surveillance infrastructure has already been initiated in Bhojpur, Jamui, Nawada, Rohtas, Aurangabad and Kaimur districts.
Bihar government has taken this step after reports of attacks on police personnel and officials of Mines and Geology Department by sand mafia from several districts.
The official said, ‘In a recent meeting chaired by the Director of Mines and Geology Department of the State Government, instructions were given to the District Magistrates to set up checkposts.’
According to the details of the meeting, four permanent checkposts will be made in Patna.
“District Magistrates have been directed to identify locations and set up checkposts in Banka, Saran, Kaimur, Gaya and Patna districts as soon as possible,” the minutes of the meeting said. There are about 267 sand ghats in the state where mining activities will be allowed soon.
Incidents of attacks on policemen by sand mafia have mainly come to light from Patna, Bhojpur, Rohtas, Aurangabad, Saran and Vaishali districts.
Recently, a tractor carrying illegally mined sand crushed a Bihar Police sub-inspector to death in Jamui district. A home guard was also injured in the incident.
In April, during a campaign against illegal mining in Bihta near Patna, miscreants attacked three mining officials, including two women inspectors.
The sand ghats of Son River in Rohtas, Bhojpur and Aurangabad districts of Bihar and adjacent Garhwa and Palamu districts of Jharkhand are known for good quality sand.
An online tool has been developed for the department, which monitors the entire sand mining activity. Through it, trucks carrying sand to the state depot and other specified destinations are tracked.
‘KhanSoft’ has been developed by NIC for Bihar Mines and Geology Department.
Revenue collection from sand mining in Bihar reached an all-time high of Rs 1384.46 crore in the last financial year, an increase of 53.84 per cent over the previous financial year.
Language Anwar Rajkumar
