On the directives of Chief Minister Raman Singh, Chief Secretary Sunil Kumar on Friday, in a letter to all district collectors, directed them to take prompt action to control rising prices of sand in Chhattisgarh.
On the New Year eve, the chief minister, at the meeting of senior officers, had stated to ensure necessary action in this regard in all districts.The chief secretary, in his letter, has instructed the collectors to take stern action by registering a police case on the complaints of illegal recovery at sand mines. In each district, the Collector will prescribe proper rate of sand, by holding meeting of sand suppliers and transporters.
The State Government, by ending the auction system of sand mines, had handed over the responsibility of its operation to Panchayats and urban bodies, so that people might get sand at proper price. But through various mediums, the State Government has been informed that excessive recovery was being done at sand mines in the name of loading and some traders have increased the rate in an illegal proportion and because of that people getting sand at high rate.
The chief secretary said that the government is concerned over the issue of reckless increase of sand price and intended to take stern steps to control it. Kumar instructed the collectors to take immediate steps on the issue on six main points according to the intentions of the government. To make availability of sand facilitating, application for environment clearance of all declared or notified mines should be submitted to Chhattisgarh Environment Protection Board within a week.
To curb improper recovery in the name of loading should be stopped by continuous inspection of mines run by panchayats and urban bodies. Stern action should be taken against people who recover money illegally after registering police case against them. It is the responsibility of district collector and the superintendent of police to take proper and time action by the police, he said Proper price of truckload of sand should be prescribed, after holding meeting of suppliers and transporters, Kumar said
If any panchayat or urban body shows carelessness in the operation of sand mines or not following the instructions, the mines should be taken back and should be handed over to Janpad Panchayat or District Panchayat for the smooth running of it, he said Collectors should conduct survey of new sand mines in their respective districts, notify the new mines and complete process for getting environmental clearance of it within a month, so that sand supply could be increased and illegal mining controlled, Kumar said.
The chief secretary also asked the collectors to inform him about the action taken on the above points through official letter by January 31.