PONDA
Acting on the complaint that illegal sand extraction was going on in Amona area, a five-member team of the Mines and Geology department on Tuesday raided the area and seized 37 canoes, four trucks and about 500 cubic metres of extracted sand.
According to reliable sources from the mines department, the team started the raid at 3 pm and the process of conducting panchnama continued till 9 pm.
"We found seven canoes loaded with sand, while 30 others were found empty. But it was evident that they had unloaded the sand from it on the river bank. The sand dumped on the bank was fresh. We have seized about 500 cubic metres of sand," said an officer on condition of anonymity.
"No sooner we reached the site, the workers fled from the site. Later, we summoned the staff of Captain of Ports and handed over the seized canoes in their custody. We also seized four trucks which were engaged in sand transportation," added the officer.
About 10 police personnel and four staff from Captain of Ports were present during the raid. "We will again visit the site in the night and will complete the process. We have told the police to camp in the area, so that no activities take place," he said.
The locals informed that sand extraction takes place very close to the Amona bridge area, which could pose a threat to the foundation of the bridge.
"We are really surprised why police don't inform the mines departments about these activities. If their patrolling staff move in this area, then they must be aware of this illegal sand extraction," a local said.
Acting on the complaint that illegal sand extraction was going on in Amona area, a five-member team of the Mines and Geology department on Tuesday raided the area and seized 37 canoes, four trucks and about 500 cubic metres of extracted sand.
According to reliable sources from the mines department, the team started the raid at 3 pm and the process of conducting panchnama continued till 9 pm.
"We found seven canoes loaded with sand, while 30 others were found empty. But it was evident that they had unloaded the sand from it on the river bank. The sand dumped on the bank was fresh. We have seized about 500 cubic metres of sand," said an officer on condition of anonymity.
"No sooner we reached the site, the workers fled from the site. Later, we summoned the staff of Captain of Ports and handed over the seized canoes in their custody. We also seized four trucks which were engaged in sand transportation," added the officer.
About 10 police personnel and four staff from Captain of Ports were present during the raid. "We will again visit the site in the night and will complete the process. We have told the police to camp in the area, so that no activities take place," he said.
The locals informed that sand extraction takes place very close to the Amona bridge area, which could pose a threat to the foundation of the bridge.
"We are really surprised why police don't inform the mines departments about these activities. If their patrolling staff move in this area, then they must be aware of this illegal sand extraction," a local said.
