BHOPAL | Sept 28, 2015: Mounds of sand, illegally mined from Chambal ghariyal sanctuary were "seized and destroyed" in a joint operation of forest department and police in last three days.

Acting on a tip-off, teams comprising special armed force (SAF) personnel, forest guards and rangers led by Morena superintendent of police (SP) Vineet Khanna and district forest officer (DFO) Vincent Rahim raided villages close to Chambal River.

"There was no resistance from villagers as sudden action took them by surprise. With help of JCB machines, heaps of sand were destroyed and was pushed back into Chambal sanctuary," the DFO told TOI.

He said instructions have also been issued to the mining department to ensure constructions sites in and around Morena use sand from legally operating quarries in neighbouring Bhind.

"The idea is to inflict monitory loss on illegal mine operators and keep building pressure on them," he said. Cases have also been registered against them under the Forest Conservation Act.

Mining of sand is banned from Chambal ghariyal sanctuary as it destroys habitat of endangered ghariyal and other aqua life. There are 170 villages inside the sanctuary area and about 200 villages outside it. Mining is continuing despite ban.

SP Vineet Khanna said "drenches have been dug out and police force has been deployed to prevent entry of tractors and dumpers to carry sand. Still they manage to reach and mine sand from other routes," he said.

"Similar operations will continue," he said.

(Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)