HC directs WBMDTCL to conduct raids with help of district administration

Kolkata: With a PIL alleging illegal sand mining in Bankura district in “connivance” with certain state government officials, the Calcutta High Court on Thursday ordered the West Bengal Mineral Development and Trading Corporation Ltd (WBMDTCL) to set up a team and carry out raids with the help of the district administration.

On Thursday, the division bench of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya directed the WBMDTCL to form a team of officers and conduct a raid of the entire area for which effective assistance should be given by the district administration of Bankura. The court said the district magistrate should pass appropriate orders and the superintendent of police, Bankura, should provide adequate police assistance to the inspecting team. The team should also ascertain whether the persons granted permits are following the permit conditions, apart from the fact whether the mining is done as per the terms and conditions stipulated in the permit.

The court directed that the team should also examine the complicity of the officers at the ground level who may be involved.

“This direction be implemented within a period of three weeks from the date of the receipt of the server copy of this order and a report be filed by the appropriate authority in the form of an affidavit within two weeks from the said date,” the court said. Next hearing is scheduled after five weeks.

The court told the state counsel that since WBMDTCL gives permission for sand mining, there must be some methodology. “Check whether sand mined is from authorised area and if the quantity is authorized quantity,” the court said and observed that since several criminal cases were registered in Kotulpur police station both in 2023 and 2024, this prima facie shows there is illegal sand mining.

The court was hearing a PIL by an organization All India Anti Corruption (REGD) which alleged that state government officials, particularly BL&LRO, Kotulpur and the Indus Police Station are directly involved in illegal sand mining activities. It claimed that the vehicle carrying sand is exceeding its capacity, causing “dangerous situations”, and some lessees are misusing permits and contravening guidelines. The petitioner alleged that “some government officials are taking illegal gratification and accepting bribes”.

The PIL further alleged that a preliminary enquiry report prepared earlier by the SDL&LRO, Bishnupur, Bankura is “cryptic in nature” and that the enquiry was conducted in a “careless manner”. “The Bankura administration has become a mere spectator while others are violating the West Bengal sand mining policy,” the petitioners alleged.