The sand mafia operating in Noida has allegedly shifted its sand digging activities to Saharanpur. The seizure of 15 trucks, by the Hapur police, loaded with the sand and the arrest of drivers transporting sand from Saharanpur to Noida led to this revelation.
According to officials, a driver admitted having diverted their activities to Saharanpur and not transporting sand by main highway routes post the National Green Tribunal (NGT) raids. “They drive their trucks from Saharanpur to Noida via small routes- Kandhla, Kairana, Baraut Baghpat, Modi Nagar, Bhojpur, Pilkhuwa, Dhaulana, Dadri and Noida in order to avoid attention on main highways,” said the police officials.
The police said that the transport cost has increased a lot but carrying out sand activities without paying any royalty is still viable for them.
“The drivers told us that the cost of one truck load of sand is, now, priced between Rs 12,000 and 15,000 earlier it was Rs 10, 000 revealed drivers. The drivers have been sent for judicial remand and trucks have been seized,” an official said.