Illegal sand mining: 1,008 cases in 2010-11

In a recent assembly session,revenue minister Balasaheb Thorat had declared that with the rising incidences the government would be contemplating a barcoding system that will be put across all the toll plazas in the state to keep a check in illegal sand mining. The state government was also considering printing barcodes on the receipts issued to legal sand miners across the state.

“In order to keep a check on illegal sand transport,the government was planning to set up a barcoding system at various toll plazas with a barcode number printed on the receipt. This will help to keep a track of the number of times a particular truck passes the toll plaza and the amount of sand is being carried,” said the district official. The state government has been pressing for stringent laws to curb illegal sand mining in the state.

Thorat had said that there was pressure from political parties seeking to bail out unauthorised sand extractors when they are caught by police by making phone calls for their release. “There will be strict monitoring on the same and the barcoding system will enable us to keep a track,” said the official.

Meanwhile the sand mining department has recovered Rs 91.40 crore worth sand as against the target of Rs 80 crore. The recovery includes fines as well as site auction cash. In 1999-2000 it was Rs 4.84 crore,followed by Rs 5.49 crore in 2000-01,Rs 4.97 crore in 2001-02,Rs 8.06 crore in 2002-03,Rs 3.77 crore in 2003-04,Rs 9.32 crore in 2004-05,Rs 16.88 crore in 2005-06 while from 2006-07 the recovery has been above Rs 30 crore.