Illegal sand mining rampant in W Champaran

Speed Post News Network

Bagaha : An indiscriminate sand mining at different places of the Gandak and hilly rivers is going on unabated in West Champaran district allegedly in connivance with local cops and administration. Sand mafias are even not sparing adjoining bridges, embankments and forests safety zone. Sand lessees neither have demarcated sand ghats boundary nor displayed signboard of the ghats concerned. It has become difficult to locate legal sand ghats. The social workers have objected to it but to no avail so far.

The residents of village Purainia under Manatard police station under Narakatiaganj  sub-division in West Champaran are agitating against illegal sand mining from Doharam river on Indo-Nepal border. Yogendra Panjiyar, Moti Ram, Surendra Oraon and others have approached the local police and revenue officials but they have failed to check the illegal excavation under Piparasi, Madhubani, Bhitaha and Thakaraha blocks on the Gandak. Sand is being transported by heavy vehicles to Uttar Pradesh.  Sanjay Yadav, Lalan Chaudhary, Imtiyaz Ali and Hazarat Ali alleged the officer of Mining Department as well as Revenue officials are not bothered about the illegal sand mining.

Sources said that the state government has allotted 90.67 hectare including 11.26 hectare in flood prone  areas in the district  for sand mining for five years. Sources  in the district  administration admitted that people involved  in the sand mining were defying District Environment Impact Assessment Authority (DEIAA) but no action is being taken. Illegal sand mining is rampant at Piparasi and Parsauni sand ghats, sources added. Deepnrain Prasad, president of Tharu Welfare Federation, West Champaran, said that sand mining was being carried out near safety zone of Valmiki Tiger reserve (VTR) too.