On the instructions of the Supreme Court, the Mining Department, sending letter to all village panchayats of the district had banned transportation of sand due to which the building construction has been stopped. However, the sand smugglers are earning huge amount through illegal mining and transportation of sand day and night.
According to sources, after the ban order of the Government, the business of building construction material suppliers has come to a standstill. The Supreme Court had ordered not to transport sand without permission of the Environmental Protection Board. In view of the SC order, the Mining Department had stopped issuance of pass, due to which the panchayats were not transporting sand and all the Government work related to building construction was stopped.
However, as a result of the ban, black-marketing of sand has been flourished in the district. According to building construction material suppliers of the city, black-marketing was flourishing because of the arbitrariness of the Mining Department. The officials of the department has been earning handsomely under the cover of the bank, they added.
According to the sources, huge quantity of sand is being supplied to the city from the mines of Kuroosapal, Malgaon, Kakdighat, Ichhapur and lohandiguda areas. Those who have stock of sand, supply them at their will. Panchayats have been given the rights to recover royalty on (Gouna), minor category minerals. large number of sand mafia is active in Bastar, lohandiguda and Nagarnar. For a long time, sand was being transported with the pass from Odisha, making great loss to the State Government.
Only one village panchayat, Tarapur, had applied to Environmental Protection Board through Mining Department for NOC for transportation of sand. Complaints of illegal transportation of sand at some places, in collusion with the panchayat representatives, have been received. But the issue has been kept in coldstorage due to election and Diwali festival.
On the issue, district mining officer RC Netam, during discussion said that sand transportation has been banned following the Supreme Court order. Pitpass would be issued only after permission from the Environmental Protection Board, he added.