Agra | Aug 16, 2017: All district magistrates in Uttar Pradesh have been directed to install CCTV cameras at state border check posts to keep an eye on movement of vehicles involved in illegal transportation of sand from nearby areas. Local administrations will also have to ensure that officials from police, forest, revenue and transport departments do not let go of such vehicles "after taking a bribe", a letter from the principal secretary to the DMs has said.

In May, then Union environment minister Anil Madhav Dave had written to UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath talking about how the number of mining leases in the state had been shrinking even though the quantity of sand being mined had only been increasing as had construction activity in the state, particularly in Gautam Budh Nagar district adjoining Delhi.

Later in June, UP minister of state for minerals, mining, excise and liquor prohibition Archana Pandey had said special forces would be set up to deal with illegal mining in the state. Admitting that corruption prevailed in the state mining department, she had sought a year’s time to "solve" the problem.

“It has come to the government’s notice that people involved in illegal mining in bordering states enter UP for commercial purposes. They are encouraged by middlemen and mining mafia for their own benefits. Moreover, complaints about officials from various government departments who are also involved and are taking bribes have been received. In such a scenario, all district administrations should identify all such entry/exit points and install CCTV cameras, and monitor movement of such vehicles through a control room,” principal secretary Arvind Kumar said in the circular sent to the DMs.

Officials have also been asked to identify middlemen and mafia and take punitive action against them. “Also, take departmental action against all those officials who are found involved in this act,” the senior bureaucrat added.

District administrations are also required to constitute teams comprising sub-divisional magistrates and circle officers to conduct surprise inspections (of mining areas) from time to time.

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