Illegal mining lens on Bengal government officials

The development gives a clear indication that the chief minister is serious about getting rid of the complaints, which were coming up over the years

“Although no case has been filed yet, the wing has found a series of irregularities in the trade. Some senior officials, including a district magistrate and a police commissioner, have been transferred based on the preliminary reports of the wing,” said a senior government official.

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Pranesh Sarkar   |   TT  |   Calcutta   |  29.09.21:  The Anti-Corruption Branch of the Bengal government has found alleged involvement of some senior government and police officials in irregular sand mining, said sources in the agency.

“Although no case has been filed yet, the wing has found a series of irregularities in the trade. Some senior officials, including a district magistrate and a police commissioner, have been transferred based on the preliminary reports of the wing,” said a senior government official.

The development gives a clear indication that the chief minister is serious about getting rid of the complaints, which were coming up over the years. “The allegations of the ruling party’s involvement in illegal sand mining were tarnishing the image of the government and the chief minister appears to be in no mood to accept these in her third term. The chief minister would try to deal with the problem ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls,” said a Trinamul insider.

According to sources, the ACB has already raided offices and residences of police officers and senior officials of land department officials in Jamuria, Kanksa and Pandaveswar in West Burdwan and at places like Jalpaiguri, Dhupguri and Malbazar in Jalpaiguri and Raiganj in North Dinajpur.

The wing has reported to the government that more mines than the number of permitted ones are being operated, more areas were being dug up in excess of the permissible areas and challans are being forged while sand is transported to several areas.

“The officials were aware of the practice but they did not do anything. The government has removed a DM and CP from a south Bengal district to send a message to the officials,” said a senior official.

A section of officials said taking action against the government officials alone would not solve the problem. “Officers are often forced to overlook the irregularities by powerful local ruling party leaders. So, action has to be taken against all those involved in the irregular practice,” said a source.

The state government has already decided to bring in a new policy to control the entire sand mining centrally.

“But the policy would be implemented across the state only by 2023 as lease tenure of a majority of the mines would be completed by then. But the government wants to rein in the irregularities from now on,” said a source.

According to some officials, the ACB has already informed Nabanna about its findings and the wing is waiting for an instruction before it lodges formal complaints in this regard.