Sand mining: State set to introduce e-challan system for payment of royalty

Kolkata: With the formation of new sand mining policy, the state government is all set to introduce an e-challan system for payment of royalty against the sand mines taken on lease.

At the same time the West Bengal Mineral Development and Trading Corporation, which is now the nodal authority for sand mining, will prepare a central portal to capture the master database of all existing and potential sand blocks.

District authorities were requested to collect the data and enter the same once the portal is opened by August 20.

It was on July 22, the state cabinet had approved the sand mining policy. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had stated that "We are introducing a sand mining policy. We are strengthening the Mineral Mining Corporation. The auction will be done through the body under direct supervision of the Chief Secretary and Finance Secretary. No irregularities will be tolerated and no one will be spared whoever it may be. Strict steps would be taken even if any officer or any political worker and leader is found involved in irregularities," she said.

Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi held a meeting on July 27 with all district magistrates eight points of discussion related to the sand mining issue.

In a directive on July 30 to the districts, it has been stated that all ongoing auctions for sand mines at any stage of processing (except where mining has started) may be suspended immediately. No new auction or lease deed registration is to be done.

Clear directions have been given stating that no sand mining activity shall continue in rainy season and illegal transportation has to be checked for which district level task forces need to be activated.

It has also been stated that districts will get detailed survey reports, which depicts overall picture of the mineral availability in the district, within August 15 and it has to be uploaded within 30 days to Individual sand blocks have to be inspected by local inspection team including officers from the officers of the Land and Irrigation department.

The state Irrigation department will categorise the river system as per the set guidelines and de-siltation sites may also be identified.

The Irrigation department has also been requested to identify vacant land near production centres to set up stockyards.

Meanwhile, the state cabinet on Monday has approved giving land to five companies to set up industries. Each of them would be getting land of one acre and more.