TAKE A LOOK AT THE SONE RIVER, UNBRIDLED FREEDOM FOR ILLETGAL MINING

TAKE A LOOK AT THE SONE RIVER, UNBRIDLED FREEDOM FOR ILLETGAL MINING

19-MAY-ENG 2

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

SASARAM--------------------------Mining takes place in the Son River across five districts, stretching from Sasaram all the way to Patna. The District Magistrate (DM) serves as the Chairman of the Task Force; the fact that they have not conducted a single inspection raises serious questions.

You, too, can witness the plight of the Son River—ravaged by illegal mining—on Google Earth. Why is the 'EC' (Environmental Clearance) authority unable to see this? If they lack the technical expertise, then how were the NOCs (No Objection Certificates) granted in the first place?

Simply commission students from IITs and NITs to conduct an inspection of the Son River; it would immediately expose the rampant corruption and nefarious activities taking place.

The 'Samrat' government is vociferously advocating a policy of "zero tolerance" towards corruption. Ministers-in-charge, Secretaries-in-charge, and Police Officers-in-charge have been assigned the responsibility of overseeing administrative activities across all districts. While reports of their tours and inspections frequently surface, no information has ever been shared—to this day—regarding the actual misdeeds being perpetrated by the officials posted within these districts, nor regarding any disciplinary actions recommended against them. When official postings are secured solely through political patronage and personal connections, who would dare to initiate punitive action? For those with discernment, a mere hint is sufficient...

Revenue generation is crucial for the development of the state. Following the implementation of the liquor prohibition policy, the Mining Department has emerged as the primary (or at least the second-largest) contributor to the state's revenue. To meet the targets set by the government for the previous financial year, every conceivable stratagem was employed—including granting tacit permission for illegal sand mining while turning a blind eye to enforcement. This allegation is not without merit. While the illegal mining in the Son River may remain invisible to officials at the headquarters or the District Magistrates stationed locally, any ordinary individual can use Google Earth to witness the devastation inflicted upon the river by these illicit activities. One can clearly observe that, in blatant violation of established regulations, illegal mining is being conducted outside the designated 'EC' (Environmental Clearance) zones, thereby obstructing the natural flow and current of the Son River. Prior to assuming office as the new Minister of Mines, Dr. Pramod Kumar Chandravanshi sounded a clarion call, issuing a stern warning to the "sand mafia" that illegal sand mining and illicit trading activities would be brought to a halt.

Minister of Mines Dr. Pramod Kumar Chandravanshi has effectively blown the bugle against the sand mafia; whether this leads to decisive action or merely a compromise remains for time to tell. To ensure that the Minister's resolve remains steadfast, I wish to draw his attention to a crucial matter: he should personally visit and tour the Son River, which spans across five districts (namely Rohtas, Aurangabad, Arwal, Bhojpur, and Patna). While a physical visit might not be feasible amidst the rising summer heat, sitting at the Secretariat—armed with a laptop or computer—one can utilize Google Earth to verify the rampant illegal mining occurring openly in the Son River. This includes unauthorized extraction outside designated Environmental Clearance (EC) zones, as well as illegal underwater mining conducted right in the middle of the river's natural flow (current). Such an exercise would leave no doubt as to exactly how this illicit operation is being orchestrated.

The guidelines issued by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the Bihar Sand Mining Act, 2019, serve as the veritable "Gita and Ramayana"—the sacred scriptures—for guiding enforcement actions. A thorough review of these two documents would undoubtedly make the decision-making process much easier. It is also pertinent to recall that sand mining in Bihar is currently being conducted under the explicit orders of the Supreme Court, and the Bihar government has filed an affidavit before the Court pledging to adhere to the NGT guidelines in letter and spirit. Yet, in reality, there is a blatant violation of these norms occurring in 80% of cases. The environmental devastation inflicted upon the Son River due to illegal sand mining is clearly visible on Google Earth; should this matter come to the attention of the Supreme Court, providing a satisfactory explanation would prove extremely difficult, and the State Government could face penalties amounting to thousands of crores of rupees.

Ministers and Secretaries: Under the provisions of the Bihar Sand Mining Act, 2019, a District-level Task Force has been constituted specifically to curb illegal sand mining and illicit sand trading activities. This Task Force is chaired by the District Magistrate, with the Superintendent of Police serving as a member. I would like to ask: how many times have the District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police of the aforementioned five districts—through which the Son River flows—actually toured and inspected the river? Furthermore, if they have indeed conducted such inspections, what specific actions have they initiated at their respective levels to curb this illegal sand mining? Is the task force constituted in the district merely a decorative facade—like an elephant's tusks? How many times has the EC-issuing authority, SEIAA, conducted inspections? Perhaps not even once. The situation regarding the Pollution Control Department is much the same. Mr. Minister, you can surely understand why the Son River is not being inspected. Leave aside the experts; the IIT and NIT campuses in Bihta are located merely 30 kilometers from the Secretariat. Simply have the students studying there conduct an assessment of the Son River using Google Earth; the rampant corruption and illicit activities will be thoroughly exposed. The previous Minister, too, spoke at great length against illegal sand mining and the illicit sand trade, yet nothing concrete ever materialized. How effective, then, will the new Mining Minister's clarion call against the sand mafia truly prove to be?