Kumar Rajiv Nayan
Ara : Bhojpur DM Sanjeev Kumar on May 20, 2018, banned sand mining from at least 10 sand ghats in the district after illegal sand mining at these ghats came to light. He has served notice on Brodson Company involved in sand mining on these sand ghats in this connection. The DM has wanred the company that its license will be cancelled if its reply was not found satisfactory.
Former Mines Officer Parashuram Singh, Mineral Officer Sunil Kumar and Mines Inspector J P Singh had inspected a number of sand ghats in Bhojpur district and detected several anomalies such as lack of CCTVs, drop gates, and vehicle weighing machines (dharmkanta) on the sand ghats. They also detected that sand was being dug more than 20 metre deep against the limit of only 3 metre. Even wet sand was being loaded on trucks against the rule. They served notices to the officials of the Brodson Company and when the reply was not found, they submitted their report to the DM who on May 20 banned sand mining at these ghats with immediate effect.
District Mines Officer Madhav Kumar Singh said that the sand ghats where sand mining has been banned are: Andhari, Karwasin, Sandesh, Khangawa (Bahiara), Haripur-Sadashivpur Kamaluchak, Mahuyi, Semariya, Koelwar, Chhitampur and Khaira. He said that the Broadson Company has been given 15 days time to remove all anomalies otherwise its license will be cancelled. He added that the department, during raids, had seized 38 trucks/tractors, and realized Rs 15.54 lakh as fine and arrested three persons so far.