Pune: The district mining officer of Gadchiroli said that 12,500 cubic feet of sand and soil was excavated from two spots on government land and riverbank of Paralkota by sand mafias during a hearing of the National Green Tribunal's western bench on Wednesday. The officer stated in his affidavit, "The spot was inspected on Dec 29, 2023 and it was found that at Paralkota river, several unknown sand mafias had illegally excavated red soil and cut trees from dense forest areas, made a temporary road on Paralkota riverbed and transported tractors." The principal bench of the tribunal on Feb 1 this year had taken a suo-motu cognizance of a TOI article, titled "Sand mafia builds roads to riverbed, officials unearth it", published on Jan 3.
As per the article, the revenue department had found a temporary road allegedly constructed by sand mafia in Bhamragarh taluka of Gadchiroli. It was apprehended that a temporary road was constructed for illegal excavation of sand. Local residents had confirmed that there was no auction of sand ghats on riverbed.
The bench had then sought replies from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, principal chief conservator of forests (HoFF) of Maharashtra, water resources department of the state govt, and collector and district magistrate of Gadchiroli, after which it was referred to the western bench. On May 5, the pollution body stated in an affidavit that during a joint inspection by additional district collector, Aheri, tehsildar, Bhamragad, mandal officer, Bhamragad, and talathi of Bhamragad, it was found that about 60 brass sand excavations had been done by the party and 65 brass soil excavations been done by a machine in the riverbed of Paralkota, amounting to 12,500 cubic feet of soil and sand under the forest department's jurisdiction. The talathi (officer) of Bhamragad then filed an FIR at the local police station against individuals on March 12 for sand and soil theft worth Rs 75,000 from govt land after which an investigation began.
The measurement of the site in question was conducted through the deputy superintendent of land records, Bhamragarh, on Jan 5 this year. It was found that the area lies in the jurisdiction of Hemalkasa village, situated within the boundary of Bastar district of Chhattisgarh. The area falls under the jurisdiction of the forest department of Chhattisgarh.
"In view of the report received from the district collector, Gadchiroli, referred to above, we deem it appropriate to direct the learned registrar of this tribunal to forward this matter before the hon'ble principal bench of this tribunal for appropriate orders as regards transfer thereof to the central zone bench for further action," said the bench of Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh and expert member Vijay Kulkarni..
