Sand is being stolen in Palamau these days. A district crisscrossed by many rivers and rivulets and having an endless stretch of sand faces this bizarre situation over the last many weeks here and no hope of an end to this stealing in sight.
Builders and contractors here in Palamau are a worried lot. Their worry is for sand as there can be no work of construction without this. The district administration has put a severe ban on any digging, loading or transportation of sand from the riverbed unless the Balu Ghat auction is finalised.
Confirming this, DC Palamu Manoj Kumar said the restriction is in compliance with the SC order, which has strictly asked for adherence to environmental and anti-pollution norms failing which the DC and the SP are to be made accountable personally.
The DC could not give the exact date or time when the Balu Ghat auction will be done as directive from the Government is awaited, said sources.
The Pioneer was told by construction agencies that work is languishing on this account that has lead to the theft of sand in the area at nights. However, its shipping is fraught with dangers as police are out catching them. Sources said more than three dozen tractor trolley stationed in the riverbed of Amanat which were there to load sand were seized by the order of the DC Palamau.
Many tractor trolleys which used to carry sand until recently is either off road for want of consignment as owners of the four-wheelers have no wherewithal in this drought time to give wages to driver and labourers on it who are sitting idle. A noted contractor said, “With sand not available, meeting deadline of completion of work is just impossible. The construction period is PNS