Patna | Nov 15, 2017: The Patna district magistrate's court issued fresh orders for auctioning of sand mines in the district after sticking to his earlier orders cancelling lease of earlier sand mines for grave violation of conditions.

District magistrate (DM) Sanjay Agarwal's order has removed the hurdle for fresh auctioning of sand mines and could help overcome paucity of sand, which has badly hit Patna's construction sector.

Agarwal had cancelled the lease of Bradson Commodities Pvt Ltd, which had earlier received the leasing rights of sand mining from Patna's ghats.

Patna High Court had earlier stayed the DM's order on cancellation of lease after it was challenged in court. However, the high court recently directed the DM to issue fresh orders in the land-mining lease.

In his 20-page order, the Patna DM's court has again cancelled the company lease and asked the mining department to start the process of fresh auction of riverbanks where sand mining is done.

The DM's order says the private company grossly violated mining conditions, causing damage to environment and ecology. It stressed that the request for rectification of his earlier order was not possible and the ecological damage caused by mining could not be undone. The order also maintains that the Supreme Court and National Green Tribunal have expressed concern over illegal mining and issued strict guidelines for mining. He has quoted mining laws to assert the collector may determine the lease if the lessee commits any breach of terms and conditions of the mining lease He has put on record the concern expressed by Patna High Court about illegal sand mining on the Sone river, which also has its banks in Patna and had ordered a probe by the then DIG.

The issue of illegal mining cropped up this year after Patna High Court ordered a probe by then deputy inspector-general (DIG) of police Shalin. In his report, Shalin indicated gross violation of mining norms and massive ecological destruction. After Nitish parted ways with the Grand Alliance and joined hands with the BJP to form an NDA government, there was a crackdown on sand mining, as men close to RJD chief Lalu Prasad are known to control the business.

But the crackdown brought sand mining to a standstill and sand scarcity. Construction agents point out that the cost of sand rose from Rs 1,000 to Rs 8,000 per trailer. It virtually brought construction to a stand still and left labourers jobless. The DM's order on Tuesday brings hope of the situation normalising again.

(Source: https://www.telegraphindia.com/)