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| Last Updated:17/03/2017

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1,500 cases of illegal sand mining registered in Pune district

 

Pune | March 16, 2017: Pune district has registered 1,500 cases of illegal sand mining and illegal sand quarrying during March 2016 to March 2017, the highest in the division as well as second highest in the district in the last five years.

 

District mining officials said that they were able to register maximum number of cases because of increased checks and use of GPS technology in Daund, Indapur and Shirur talukas in the district. Sand quarrying cases came from Haveli taluka in the district. Pune district collector Saurabh Rao had initiated special monthly checks to prevent illegal sand mining.

 

The officials took action following reports of rampant illegal sand mining from these areas. The overall revenue collected as penalty was Rs 8 crore till mid-March.

 

Deputy collector and district mining officer Suyog Jagtap told TOI that they had increased checks in all these spots and deployed squads which enabled them to increase the registration of such cases. The cases were registered under the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code (MLRC), 1966_ section 48, stated Jagtap.

 

He stated that Pune district has registered maximum number of cases related to illegal excavation in the division. The state government has been stressing on conducting drives in the state and register maximum number of cases against illegal sand excavation. In terms of revenue collection, Pune district has collected Rs 130 crore as against the target of Rs 175 crore till mid-March as royalty and penalty.

 

Cases were registered for illegal extraction of sand from river beds and quarry mining, said district officials. "We were on a mission and initiated action against those responsible for such activities. We have taken action in 1,500 cases in the district and have impounded vehicles as well," added Jagtap.

 

Large scale violations found in Indapur and Daund were mainly related to illegal mining.

 

The state government had directed all district administration officials to set up committees to check illegal extraction of sand from rivers. The district collectors head these committees comprising superintendent of police, regional transport officer and district mining officer. "We had a team in every taluka and the actions were initiated against illegal sand mining on the river bed and illegal quarrying activities," said Jagtap.

 

Geologists said that illegal sand mining was disrupting the natural flow of rivers by creating an uneven bed and if excessive mining is carried out, it would harm the bridges. "Such excavations should be strictly monitored,'' warned a retired geologist from a research institute.

 

 

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