Sand Mining

Illegal sand mining in rivers, beaches serious, needs to be curbed: SC

Terming illegal rampant sand mining as serious, the Supreme Court on Wednesday said such activities needed to be effectively dealt with and asked five states including Tamil Nadu, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh to provide facts and figures on the issue. The top court was hearing a 2018 PIL filed by one M Alagarsamy seeking a CBI probe into illegal sand mining in rivers and beaches in Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. The plea alleged that unregulated illegal sand mining wreaked "environmental havoc" and authorities concerned have allowed entities to operate without the mandatory environmental plan and clearance. A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar said it needed to check whether a similar petition against the National Green Tribunal order on illegal sand mining was pending in the top court. Illegal sand mining is a serious issue and needs to be dealt with effectively, the CJI said, when advocate Prashant Bhushan, ...

Enforcement Directorate conducts fresh searches in Bihar sand mining case

The Enforcement Directorate on Saturday conducted fresh searches in Bihar as part of a money laundering case investigation linked to alleged illegal sand mining in the state, official sources said. The searches are being conducted in an around Arrah town in Bhojpur district. The premises of a businessman and some linked persons are being covered, the sources said. The central agency last week arrested Subhash Yadav, a man allegedly linked to the RJD, in this case. The money laundering case stems from a clutch of 20 FIRs registered by the Bihar Police against a company named Broadsons Commodities Pvt Ltd (BCPL) and its directors alleging they were engaged in illegal mining and sale of sand without using e-challans. Bihar MLC and JD(U) leader Radha Charan Sah, his son Kanhaiya Prasad and directors of Broadsons Commodities like Mithilesh Kumar Singh, Baban Singh and Surendra Kumar Jindal were arrested by the ED last year and they are currently lodged in jail under judicial custody. A

ED nabs man in Patna in money laundering case linked to illegal sand mining

The Enforcement Directorate has arrested Subhash Yadav, a man allegedly linked to the RJD, in Bihar's Patna in a money laundering case related to alleged illegal sand mining, official sources said on Sunday. The premises of Yadav and some others were being searched since Saturday as part of a case registered under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Yadav was arrested late on Saturday night and nearly Rs 2.3 crore cash was seized from various premises, the sources said. Half a dozen premises were searched by the central agency in and around Patna. Yadav is alleged to be involved in sand mining in Bihar and had contested elections on an RJD ticket in the past, according to the sources. The money laundering case stems from some FIRs registered by Bihar Police.

ED raids residence of Subhash Yadav, close aide of RJD supremo Lalu

The Enforcement Directorate on Saturday raided multiple locations in Patna as part of an alleged illegal sand mining linked money laundering case, official sources said. The premises of a person identified as Subash Yadav are being searched as part of a case registered under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the sources said. About seven premises are being searched by the central agency in and around Patna, they said. Yadav is said to be involved in sand mining in Bihar and has contested election on an RJD ticket earlier, they said. The money laundering case stems from some FIRs filed by the Bihar Police earlier.

Maha to sell sand online on 'no profit no loss' under new scheme: Minister

The Maharashtra government has decided to sell sand online on a "no profit no loss" basis, a move that will enable people to buy the key construction material at a cheaper rate and curb illegal sand mining, revenue minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil said. During the state cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Vikhe Patil proposed changes in the sand mining policy in the state. Accordingly, it was decided to sell sand online on a "no profit no loss" basis, Vikhe Patil said after the cabinet meeting. The change in the policy will also help curb illegal mining of sand, its transportation and storage, he said. The minister said under the earlier policy, there were cases of irregularities and criminal activities, alluding the attacks by sand miners on government officials. Under the new scheme, tenders will be invited for management of mining of sand, its transportation and construction of sand mining depots. It will also enable setting up of a technical committee under tehsildar to monitor th

Construction-grade sand production plant to begin next month: NLC India

State-owned lignite producer NLC India on Wednesday said its proposed plant for manufacturing construction-grade sand using mine overburden is expected to begin operations by January-end. The plant is expected to produce civil construction-grade sand from mine overburden -- wastes generated during mining operations. Sand manufactured from mining wastes is important in view of the scarcity of natural sand. "This plant is expected to produce civil construction Grade M-sand of 2.62 lakh cubic metre per year from mine overburden...The plant is expected to be operationalised by end of January 2024," the public sector enterprise said in a stock exchange filing. Similar and high capacity plants will be installed in other mines of Neyveli (Tamil Nadu) in due course, the company said. "Bhoomi Puja for the proposed OB to M-Sand Plant at Mine-IA, Neyveli was performed on December 12," it said. Company's CMD Prasanna Kumar Motupalli said that the contract has already been awarded for executi

Bihar to set up permanent checkposts in a bid to curb illegal sand mining

The Bihar government has directed district authorities to construct permanent checkposts at sensitive locations to curb illegal sand mining in the state, an official said on Monday. The process for setting up such a surveillance infrastructure has already been initiated in Bhojpur, Jamui, Nawada, Rohtas, Aurangabad and Kaimur districts. The move comes after attacks on police personnel and officials of the Mines and Geology Department by the sand mafia were reported from several districts. "Instructions to construct checkposts were issued to district authorities in a recent meeting chaired by the director of the Mines and Geology Department of the state government," the official said. According to the minutes of the meeting, a copy of which is with PTI, four permanent checkposts will be built in Patna. "Officials have been directed to identify locations and construct checkposts in Banka, Saran, Kaimur, Gaya and Patna districts at the earliest. There are around 267 sand ghats in the

Money laundering case: ED seizes Rs 7.5 cr cash, FDs after raids in Bihar

Cash and fixed deposits worth about Rs 7.5 crore have been seized after raids were carried out in a money laundering case linked to alleged illegal sand mining by some companies that led to the loss of Rs 250 crore revenue for the Bihar government, the ED said on Friday. The searches were carried out on June 5 at twenty-seven locations in Patna, Dhanbad and Hazaribagh in Jharkhand and Kolkata at the premises of the two firms Broadson Commodities Pvt. Ltd., Aditya Multicom Pvt. Ltd., their directors, chartered accountants and other associates, the agency said in a statement. The money laundering case was filed by the Enforcement Directorate after taking cognisance of various Bihar Police FIRs filed against the accused. The police FIRs, the ED said, were registered on the basis of complaints from the Bihar mining department against the accused for "illegal sand mining and its sale without using the departmental pre-paid transportation e-challan issued by the mining authority, thereby

Rajasthan govt promotes manufactured sand as easy alternative to river sand

The demand for river sand in the state is around 70 million tonnes a year

Woman officer in Bihar abused, dragged by crowd; NCW takes cognisance

NCW Chairperson Rekha Sharma has written to the Director General of Police, Bihar, asking him to personally look into the matter and ensure a fair and timely investigation

CIL to produce sand using overburden rocks; likely to begin ops by next yr

State-owned CIL intends to produce sand using overburden rocks lying at its various coal mines and the operation of five such sand plants is likely to commence by next year, the government said on Friday. Under the 'overburden (OB) rocks-to-manufactured sand' initiative, Coal India Ltd (CIL) facilitates processing of waste overburden at its open cast mines. "CIL has envisaged to process the overburden rocks for sand production in mines where OB material contain about 60 per cent sandstone by volume which is harnessed through crushing and processing of overburden," the coal ministry said in a statement. Out of the five proposed plants, Ballarpur Plant of Western Coalfields Ltd (WCL) is expected to commence sand production by May. Four plants -- one each in WCL, South Eastern Coalfields Ltd (SECL), Bharat Coking Coal Ltd (BCCL) and Central Coalfields Ltd (CCL)-- are under different stages of tendering process. To fast-track the 'OB-to-sand' initiative, CIL has prepared a model bid .

Sand mafia in Jharkhand's Gulma tries to mow down SDPO, team by dumper

A sub divisional police officer (SDPO) and some of his team members sustained injuries after a sand mafia allegedly tried to run over the SDPO's car by a dumper truck in Jharkhand's Gumla district

Andhra Pradesh govt struggling for means to fight red sanders smuggling

The recent blockbuster 'Pushpa' laid bare the red sanders smuggling mafia and the high stakes involved in it

Punjab CM's nephew accepted he received Rs 10 cr cash for sand mining: ED

Bhupinder Singh alias Honey, the arrested nephew of Punjab CM Channi, has "accepted" that he received Rs 10 crore cash in lieu of facilitating sand mining operations, the ED claimed

Sand mining case: ED does not report to me, Amarinder hits back at Channi

After Punjab CM blamed Captain Amarinder Singh for the Enforcement Directorate's raids on one of his relatives, the latter hit back at the former stating 'ED doesn't report to me'

Punjab sand mining case: ED recovers Rs 10 crore cash, documents

The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday recovered more cash during ongoing raids in connection with illegal sand mining case of Punjab. The ED team conducted raids in Pathankot and in other areas.

Illegal sand mining: ED raids multiple locations in poll-bound Punjab

The ED raided multiple locations in poll-bound Punjab as part of a money laundering probe against companies involved in illegal sand mining in the border state

SC allows sand mining in Bihar, says ban causes loss to public exchequer

The top court said a balanced approach of sustainable development needs to be resorted

Install CCTV cameras to curb illegal sand mining in Goa: Bombay HC

The court has now directed the police to seize and destroy unregistered canoes and impound the trucks which illegally transport sand, and to install CCTV cameras at illegal sand mining sites.

CIL takes initiative to produce sand from overburden at much cheaper price

Production of sand has already started, the coal ministry said in a statement.