Bangalore: The much-anticipated sand mining policy was approved by the cabinet on Thursday with new rules framed in order to crack down on the sand mafia, and those booked for illegal mining and transportation would face trial on par with other cognizable offences.
Under the new policy, sand monitoring committees would be set up at district and taluk levels to monitor mining and transportation. Besides the deputy commissioner, an environmental officer and the jurisdictional police officer would be appointed as members of the district-level committees with power vested with the police officer to seize sand. The quantum of punishment for those involved in unauthorized sand mining and transportation would be decided in consultation with the high court.
Speaking to media persons after a meeting of the cabinet, law and parliamentary affairs minister T B Jayachandra said the new rules would be notified in a day or two. “The Government of India had sent a draft rule to all states to incorporate certain aspects, before coming up with the sand mining policy. According to that, sand mining in more than five hectares of land ought to have environmental clearance. The environmental officer in districts will certify it,” he added.
Meanwhile, the state government has asked respective deputy commissioners to earmark safe zone, enabling setting up of stone crushing units in all districts. “As per the Supreme Court’s direction, the district administration should earmark safe zone to carry out stone crushing.
Barring a few districts, other district authorities have not bothered to create safe zones. The government has asked them to create safe zones,” he added.The cabinet decided to bring in accountability for expenditure incurred by local bodies and proposed to bring in amendment to Sec 68C and 68D of Karnataka Municipal Corporation Act, Mr Jayachandra said.
So far, the local bodies were not accountable to the government for expenditure incurred. Now, as per amended rules, the local bodies should get their plan approved by the legislature and later submit an annual report on spending to the legislature, Mr Jayachandra added.
