Construction business has been badly hit after sand went in short supply in the State following the Supreme Court order on February 27, 2013, making environmental clearance from the Environment and Forests Ministry for excavation of all minor minerals, including sand mandatory.
“Sand mining on both sides of the rivers, upstream and in-stream, is one of the causes for environmental degradation and also a threat to biodiversity. Over the years, India’s rivers and riparian ecology have been badly-affected by the alarming rate of unrestricted sand mining ….” the order said.
Following which, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on August 5, 2013 ordered a nationwide stay on sand mining on riverbeds without Environment Ministry clearance.
The shortage of sand has also given fillip to smuggling at a much-much higher than the actual price. Those who have stocks of sand are selling it for Rs 1800 – 2000 per tractor, which was earlier being sold at Rs 1100-1200, sources said.
The mining officials however, expect that the crisis will remain for the next three months till the mining leases are auctioned in the State. “This is a matter of three-four months. As soon as the mining leases are auctioned, the crisis will end,” added a mining official requesting anonymity.
“But then, only auctioning will not solve the problem, the contractors will also have to obtain environmental clearance from the concerned department, which will also take some more time,” he added.
He expressed his helplessness in view of the Supreme Court order. “This is an order which could not be disobeyed. We will have to go through all the legal processes,” the official said.
With the construction sector booming in the state it was carved out of Bihar, the demand for sand has grown consistently over the past decade. Sudden fall in the sand supply has become a cause of concern among the builders about their ongoing construction projects in the state.
Truck Owners’ Association President Uday Shankar Ojha said, “The Supreme Court has ordered to stop illegal mining in the country but the State Government has banned the lifting of sand completely, resulting into an acute shortage of sand for construction work in the State.”
The association is also planning to meet to meet Chief Minister Hemant Soren to find a way out and save them from heavy loss they are incurring due to the ban.
“We will be meeting the Chief Minister in a day or two requesting him to look into the matter and do the needful,” he added.
According to Ojha, the government must stop illegal mining but those who are ready to pay royalty to the government must be allowed for lifting of sand,” said Ojha. Mere giving excuses that auction has not been done will not solve the problem.