‘Illegal’ sand mining: 46 trucks seized in Durgapur

Durgapur: Forty six trucks loaded with illegal sand were  seized and handed over to police by the district administration for taking legal action.

Sub-divisional land and land revenue officer has been directed to realise penalty amount from all such truck owners. A penalty amount of Rs 20.7 lakh will be realised by the officer.

Deputy superintendent of police (DSP),  headquarters, Burdwan, and officer-in-charge of Kanksa police station in Durgapur have been asked to set up a police camp at the Damodar ghat to ensure  that the offending vehicles don’t escape scrutiny.

Additional regional transport officer, Durgapur, has been directed to lodge FIR against the vehicles on  charges of overloading and carrying illegal sand by the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) of Durgapur, Sankho Santro.

Acting on the basis of a specific  tip-off about sand being carried out illegally in trucks from Damodar river regularly, the sub-divisonal magistrate conducted a raid along the banks  of Damodar river from where the trucks loaded with sand were seized.

The drivers’ of the truck managed to flee away leaving away the trucks. The sudden raid by the SDM against illegal sand lifting from Damodar river have created panic among the sand mafia’s operating in the area. This illegal practice of sand lifting  from the Damodar river incurres losses in form of revenue for the State goverment in lakhs daily.