Thu Dec 12 23:25:09 UTC 2024: ## Gumla Police Dig Trenches to Curb Illegal Sand Mining
**Gumla, Jharkhand:** In a bid to combat rampant illegal sand mining in the Chainpur and Jari blocks of Gumla district, police have dug trenches at the Kamalpur sand ghat in Govindpur Panchayat. The trenches, dug Wednesday morning using a JCB machine under police supervision, aim to completely halt illegal extraction. Police Station in-charge Aditya Kumar warned that anyone caught illegally mining sand will face legal action.
The move follows repeated complaints and inspections by the block administration, revealing that sand was being illegally mined and sold at high prices in Jashpur district, Chhattisgarh. The Jharkhand side of the river is now dry, while the Chhattisgarh side continues to flow, making the Jharkhand side the target of illegal mining operations. Previously erected boards prohibiting sand mining have been destroyed by the sand mafia.
The mafia reportedly extorts ₹200 per tractor load from drivers. Clashes between mafia groups from Govindpur, Tigra, and Kamalpur villages over this extortion have previously been reported to the police station. Jyoti Gupta, a Jashpur resident, is allegedly overseeing these operations, claiming to possess tenders for the ghats, a claim currently under investigation.
The mafia employs a lookout man near Govindpur Chowk to warn them of approaching authorities, allowing them to cease operations and move their equipment quickly. This operation highlights the ongoing challenge of enforcing the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) orders against illegal sand mining in the region.
First Piper 