Despite govt's fresh distribution of mining rights through e-auction, sand mafias have free run

Even as the sun dips into the horizon and dusk sets in, trade in the humblest of commodities continues with trucks and tractors raising a sandstorm on the vast banks of River Ajoy.

It was once the lifeline of towns, villages and farms of two adjacent districts of Bengal in the laterite belt, Birbhum and Burdwan, that has now been reduced to a network of barely knee-deep streams.

Raising a storm amid a collection of ramshackle houses and battered lives, the dredging goes on to meet up with our era's unprecedented urban growth.

Amid the humdrum of everyday life, the rigors continue side-by-side the fear and gloom as the dangerous sand mafia stops at nothing. And so does the illegal trade.

Loaded trucks and tractors can only exit the trenches after paying the middle-aged, grumpy-looking security guard who seems to be the only custodian of this flourishing business, the 'gate-pass' money.

According to news reports, for one truckload, or around 400 cubic feet of sand, the price is Rs 100. Once the sand reaches the market, a truckload sells for Rs 700 — a seven-fold mark-up. The state government is supposed to get Rs 60 for every 100 cubic feet of sand lifted from the region. It is also supposed to earn revenue from the leasing out of the sand banks to the highest bidder through an open auction. But the guard at the banks is not a state government representative. He is the main henchman for those who control the illegal sand economy, worth an estimated Rs 70 crore a year, which is a king's ransom in this remote corner of Birbhum.

Illegal sand mining takes place in over 100 mines in Birbhum and over 50 in Burdwan including areas like Ausgram II, Ilambazar and Barsul.

As earlier reports indicate, under the previous CPM regime, long-term mining leases were granted. But after the TMC government came to power, e-auction was started and with that a new system of short-term quarry permit had been introduced. Arguably, the royalty the government collected through it is an indicator of how much fraudulent mining has come down. Citing the National Green Tribunal's latest order, state Irrigation minister Rajib Banerjee, claims: "It is the District Magistrate's responsibility to keep a check now. It is no longer under the state. But I can assure you, immediate action will be taken if there is any complaint regarding the same."

Sand is precious to the real estate industry and the mafia is known to ravage riverbeds and land with heavy equipment to dredge up tonnes of earth and sell it at steep discounts to builders.

There are reports that as many as 80 illegal sand mines are located in Birbhum, with 30 on the banks of the Mayurakshi and about 25 near Ajoy. The sand is then smuggled to places including New Town and Rajarhat, Durgapur and Asansol and other areas in Murshidabad where the real estate is growing.