Gaya Authorities Launch Major Crackdown on Illegal Sand Mining
Officials in Gaya have taken decisive action against illegal sand mining activities. Teams from multiple departments conducted coordinated raids over Friday evening and Saturday morning. These operations targeted the Mufassil, Bodh Gaya, and Paraiya police station areas.
Significant Seizures and Heavy Penalties Imposed
The crackdown resulted in substantial enforcement actions. Authorities seized a total of 24 tractors used in illegal operations. They also imposed financial penalties amounting to approximately Rs 1.33 crore on individuals involved in unlawful sand extraction from the Falgu river.
District Magistrate Shashank Shubhankar provided detailed breakdowns of the enforcement actions on Saturday. He stated that raids in Bhadeja village under Mufassil police station proved particularly productive.
"We imposed a penalty of Rs 1.27 crore on illegal miners at Bhadeja village," Shubhankar explained. "Our teams seized 18 tractors and levied an additional Rs 18 lakh penalty on vehicle owners. All seized tractors now sit at Mufassil police station, where we have filed FIRs against both vehicle owners and miners."Additional Operations Across Multiple Locations
The enforcement efforts extended beyond Mufassil. In Titaiya village under Bodh Gaya police station, authorities seized two more tractors. They imposed penalties worth Rs 3.3 lakh in this location, though one tractor driver managed to escape capture.
Paraiya police station area witnessed similar enforcement actions. Officials seized two additional tractors there and imposed penalties totaling Rs 2.2 lakh.
District Magistrate Shubhankar emphasized the ongoing nature of these efforts. "We will continue taking strict punitive action against all individuals involved in illegal mining," he affirmed. "Our approach includes filing FIRs against offenders to ensure proper legal consequences."
Multi-Departmental Collaboration Drives Enforcement
The raids represented a collaborative effort across government departments. Teams included officials from:
- The mining department
- The transport department
- The police department
This coordinated approach targeted three primary aspects of illegal sand operations:
- Unauthorized mining activities
- Illegal transportation of mined materials
- Improper storage of extracted sand
The Falgu river has faced significant pressure from unauthorized sand extraction. These enforcement actions aim to protect the river ecosystem while curbing unlawful commercial activities. Authorities plan to maintain vigilance and continue similar operations across the region.
