JOIN USThe rapidly-growing construction industry in Bangalore has fuelled an active ‘night life’ for villages in the surrounding districts.
As the night falls, tens of trucks line up transporting illegally mined sand to Bangalore from the districts, taking advantage of the lacunae at check posts.
Illegal sand mining is rampant in villages bordering Chikkaballapur and Shidlaghatta where sand quarry has become a source of revenue for many villagers. Beginning Monday, a continuous surveillance team of officials will be put in place to curb the menace.
Chikkaballapur Deputy Commissioner Venkatesh M V has proposed new measures for constant monitoring of the situation.
The main challenge in curbing sand mining is achieving continuous monitoring and hence a team that would keep a close watch on a daily basis, he told Deccan Herald.
“A continuous surveillance team involving the tahsildar and the circle inspector will be constituted. It will be ensured that the revenue inspector and the police closely monitor the cases everyday,” he said. In addition, licences of drivers caught more than thrice for illegal transportation of sand will be cancelled. Metallic barricades have been planned for approach roads to intercept trucks.
“There is no point in just collecting fine as they will pay the fine and continue with their activities. We will confiscate the sand. It will be sold at PWD prices for local construction,” the deputy commissioner said. At present, a team of geologists is also at work surveying the district for quantifying the extent of mining.
The numbers
For the past nine months,more than 1,000 cases have been registered and Rs one crore fine has been collected as penalty by the police, said the Superintendent of Police, Chikkaballapur, Divya Gopinath.
The fine is Rs 25,000 for lorries and Rs 3,000 for tractors. At least two lorries are being confiscated everyday.
“Squads will be formed with the active participation of PWD and Mines and Geology officials. Checkposts alone are not sufficient for this as getting manpower will be difficult. By bringing in officials from various departments concerned, a checks and balances system can be established,” the SP said.
It is a wide nexus that the officials are dealing with when it comes to sand mining. “Measures will be taken to promote manufactured sand in the district. If this sand is available at a cheaper price than normal sand, the illegal mining will come down,” Venkatesh said.