as well as individual miners illegally mine sand from the Sone River. However, the state police is finding it difficult to tackle the malpractice owing to limitations in logistics and resources, with at least 60 police officers were removed from field posting and another 35 of them were suspended for their alleged involvement with sand smugglers.
A senior police officer revealed that, in Bihar and other states across the South Asian nation, illegal sand mining has a deep-rooted link in which government officials, police personnel and others in power corridors mind money. According to authorities, the Sone River is famous for yielding coarse yellow sand, a costly substance that is often used in construction. “In rest of the state, rivers mostly yield white sand useful for filling. They are of no value. That’s why illegal mining takes place only from Sone,” he told The Times of India.
On the other hand, firms which do have license to conduct mining activities do so in large strips near ghats, instead of small spots for which they are authorised. “They show mining of 50 trucks, but in reality they mine 150 trucks of sand. Weighing stations with mines department officers and police should be installed on those roads which connect main roads to mining ghats,” the officer added.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Mines and Geology, Janak Ram, claims that the Government of Bihar has already launched several measures to put a brake on illegal sand mining in the state. “Those involved in such illegal activities are in panic. They are hiding here and there,” he said.
