Pune | Dec 30, 2015: Vehicles seized in illegal sand mining cases would not be released on bond but would have their permits suspended for 30 days under the Motor Vehicle Act. The cases would be put by both revenue and transport departments. This was decided in a joint meeting of the revenue and regional transport office on Tuesday following the District Planning and Development Council meeting held a day before.
Even as Guardian Minister Girish Bapat had called for auctioning the vehicles as a stringent measure, but with rules not permitting, a meeting held by Pune District Collector Saurabh Rao had decided to suspend the permits for 30 days and keep the vehicles at a site under Rural police headquarters.
The fine on vehicles plying illegal sand is huge and additional fine would be levied under the Motor Vehicles Act, the collector said after the meeting. Suspension of licenses would deter offenders, Rao hoped.
The collector is all set to request the state government to have a separate cell to initate action against illegal sand mining offenders. Pune district registered 2,248 cases of illegal extraction of sand from river beds and illegal quarry mining in just four months, topping the list of action carried out by any district in Maharashtra.
Bapat had directed that the district need not release vehicles seized in illegal sand mining cases in the DPDC meeting on Monday. The meeting was held to ensure that stringent action be taken against vehicles illegally carrying sand.
At present, vehicles are released on bond and Bapat said that there is no need to release such vehicles. He has also implored that illegal excavation of sand should invite the Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities Act on the offenders.
While there were only 448 cases in the last year, a major swoopdown by the district administration from September to December 15 has seen the district administration registering 48 FIRs and seizing 995 vehicles. A team of 130 personnel are operating in the 13 talukas of the district.
The Maharashtra government had listed blackmarketing of essential commodities, along with illegal excavation of sand, under the Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities (MPDA) Act, which is aimed at cracking down on repeat offenders.
The state government is empowered to detain repeat offenders and brokers indulging in illegal sand mining or black marketing of grains and other essential goods, including government officials for six months, which can be extended to a year.
“The main purpose of the act is to serve as a deterrent for offenders. As of now, even when offenders are charged, they manage to get bail within two days. With MPDA, they would have the fear of being behind bars for up to a year and there should be stringent action against illegal sand excavation. Suspending the licenses for vehicles used for such purpose would act as a deterrant. We have asked talathis to give us daily reports and even dig around the sites so that vehicles plying or lifting sand can be stopped,” said the collector, expressing confidence that at least 2,000 more cases would be registered in the next two to three months.
The state cabinet has approved the proposal to bring illegal sand excavation and black marketing of essential supplies under the Act. There are hundreds of complaints of illegal sand excavation and transport with demand for sand in the state increasing due to rapid urbanisation.
With the district having set a target of Rs 175 crore, Bapat is confident that the target would be achieved as sand mining is a major source of revenue for the state. The district collector said that nearly 49 sites have to be auctioned and they are confident of achieving the target.
(Source: http://indianexpress.com/)