Rajasthan forms six task forces to curb illegal sand mining
The teams will monitor sand extraction, transport and storage in the Jojari, Bandi and Luni river catchment areas.
The Rajasthan government has established six task forces to prevent illegal sand mining, transportation and storage in the Jojari, Bandi and Luni river areas, according to ThePrint. These teams will operate in Sirohi, Sojat City, Jalore, Barmer, Jodhpur and Gotan.
Additional Chief Secretary (Mines and Petroleum) Aparna Arora said the groups aim to ensure leaseholders follow environmental clearance conditions and directions from the Supreme Court, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the High-Level Ecosystem Oversight Committee.
The task forces will inspect sites to check for violations, such as digging deeper than the allowed three-metre limit, operating too near riverbanks or extracting sand from below the water level.
Each team will be led by an assistant mining engineer and will include geologists, surveyors and mining foremen. The groups are also directed to follow the Centre’s Enforcement and Monitoring Guidelines for Sand Mining, 2020.
The teams are empowered to take action under Section 23B of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act and the Rajasthan Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 2017. An additional director of vigilance at the headquarters has been named the nodal officer to coordinate the task forces' activities.