55 illegal sand mining cases booked

Cracking the whip against illegal sand mining, the district police have booked 55 cases in one month and have seized sand worth Rs 1.88 lakh.

Replying to media queries, SP Abhinav Khare said that in January alone, a total of 64 vehicles were seized in 55 cases. They were booked under IPC and Mines and Minerals Act depending upon the nature of the crime. Among the vehicles seized, 42 were lorries, 13 tractors, four each canter and bullock carts and Tata Ace goods vehicle. However, the fine of Rs 5.70 lakh was collected from 33 vehicles after they were handed over to the authorities concerned for the imposition of fine, taking the total amount of fine levied and the value of sand seized to Rs 7.58 lakh.

A highest of Rs 2.55 lakh fine has been collected from eight cases in T Narsipur that also happens to be the nerve of sand mining, while 27 cases have been booked in Mysuru South police limits, with no fine being collected, according to the available statistics. At Bannur, Rs 65,000 fine has been collected from seven cases and Rs 75,000 at Talkad in seven cases, followed by Periyapatna (Rs 55,000 in one case), Bettadapura (Rs 85,000 from one case) and H D Kote (Rs 30,000 from two cases).

No foul play
The SP denied that the seized sand was supplied to the public in illegal manner, especially for the ongoing police quarters works.

The official explained that the seized sand is being released only after securing the permission from the court (in IPC cases) and the district sand monitoring committee in other types of cases. However, with regard to the allegations of sand used for departmental works, the official said that cement blocks were used, and not sand.

New stations
He said that two new police stations will soon start functioning in the district. It includes Varuna station and the traffic police station at Nanjangud.

The Varuna station will be carved out of the existing South station. The Megalapura police outpost will be upgraded into a full-fledged station and named after Varuna. The exclusive traffic station in Nanjangud is being opened in keeping with the demand. A notification in this regard is awaited. 

That apart, closed circuit TV cameras will be installed at the select taluk headquarters in the district.