BHOPAL | Sept 02, 2015: Putting a question mark over implementation of ban on sand mining in the state by National Green Tribunal, 850 cubic meters of illegal sand was seized by mining department in chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's home district on Tuesday which was the third such seizure in the last 20 days.
Earlier on August 14, 17 dumpers carrying illegal sand were seized at Narayanpur village, few km from chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's native village Jait in Sehore district, later on August 28, 35 more dumpers were seized from the district.
"We had received a tip off that illegal sand mining is being carried out in Aamba village under Nasrullahganj tehsil. The place was raided and we found huge quantity of sand illegally stored at a village ashram and also on the Narmada river bank," district mining officer M A Khan said.
"A total of 850 cubic meters of sand was seized and was also auctioned at the spot after seeking permission of senior officials and revenue of Rs 5.15 lakh was generated," he added.
National Green Tribunal (NGT) had stayed sand mining in Madhya Pradesh on July, 20, on grounds that it was damaging river ecology. In past, state government had extended mining activity till July 31.
(Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)