PATNA: In a bid to protect its officers from mining mafias, the Bihar government's Mines and Geology Department has formulated a proposal to create its own special police force. The proposal will soon be sent to the state cabinet for approval.
The decision was taken at a meeting of senior department officials after several officers raised concerns over their safety and threats to their lives during operations against illegal sand mining.
More than 20 attacks on raiding teams have been reported in the last three months alone. In several instances, officers had to flee after attackers, allegedly armed with illegal weapons, opened fire during raids at unauthorised sand ghats.
"The proposal has been finalised at the secretary level of the department. It will soon be sent to the state cabinet for its approval. The creation of a special police force will not only stop illegal mining but create job opportunities for youths willing to join the police force," a senior official said.
The official, who attended the meeting, said there had been several occasions when raiding teams did not receive adequate cooperation from local police stations, undermining special operations against illegal sand mining.
The lack of adequate police support, the official said, has emboldened mining mafias, who have not hesitated to open fire on raiding teams.
"The special police force will also lessen the department's dependency on the state police, which is already grappling with law-and-order issues," the official added.
According to sources, the proposal will first be discussed with Mines and Geology Minister Pramod Kumar, also known as Pramod Kumar Chandrawanshi, before being submitted to the cabinet for approval. It is currently under review by the Law Department.
The proposed force will primarily be deployed to curb illegal sand mining and unauthorised stone-crushing units across the state. It will also assist the department in checking vehicles transporting sand and stone chips.
More than a dozen districts have been identified where illegal sand mining continues unabated.