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Illegal Sand Mining Booms Amidst Lax Enforcement
25 Mar
Summary
- Saberi riverbed a hotspot for large-scale illegal sand mining.
- Sand smuggling occurs in broad daylight with tipper trucks.
- Seized sand allegedly regularized through nominal fines and auctions.
Large-scale illegal sand mining is flourishing along the Saberi riverbed in Koraput district, near the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border. Activists report that sand smuggling is rampant, with numerous tipper trucks transporting sand in broad daylight, seemingly without fear of intervention from the authorities.
The operations are centered in the Talur mouza of the Saberi river. Concerns have been voiced regarding the enforcement agencies' methods, with allegations that illegally transported sand is seized only to be subsequently regularized. This is reportedly achieved through minimal fines and "spot auctions," which effectively permit the original operators to continue their business.
Environmental experts warn that this unchecked extraction is causing significant damage to river ecosystems and biodiversity, posing long-term ecological risks. Despite the extensive scale of these mining operations, there has been minimal visible intervention from the concerned authorities.
Officials from the mines department have stated they were unaware of the alleged illegal mining. They mentioned that an auction was conducted for seized sand but promised to verify and take action if fresh illegal mining and transportation are occurring.
