Rajasthan forms six task forces to curb illegal sand mining
The new teams will monitor river catchment areas to ensure compliance with environmental clearances and Supreme Court directions.
The Rajasthan government has established six task forces to monitor the illegal extraction, movement, and storage of sand, according to ThePrint. These teams will operate within the catchment areas of the Jojari, Bandi, and Luni rivers.
Additional Chief Secretary (Mines and Petroleum) Aparna Arora stated that the task forces are stationed in Sirohi, Sojat City, Jalore, Barmer, Jodhpur, and Gotan. The groups are responsible for ensuring that leaseholders follow directions from the Supreme Court, the National Green Tribunal (NGT), and the High-Level Ecosystem Oversight Committee.
The teams will conduct regular inspections to identify violations such as excavating deeper than the permitted three metres, mining near riverbanks, or extracting sand below the water level. Arora said the teams have been instructed to take action against such breaches and provide reports.
Each task force will be led by an assistant mining engineer and will consist of surveyors, mining foremen, and geologists. The units are authorised to take action under Section 23B of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act and the Rajasthan Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 2017.