THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a statewide crackdown on illegal mining, the Vigilance has unearthed widespread irregularities during raids in many districts. The sleuths conducted the raids titled ‘Operation Save Earth’ following complaints about extensive violations of reclaiming farmland and rice fields and conducting mining beyond the permissible limits.
The raids found that many trucks illegally displayed signboards saying ‘NH work/PWD work’ for transporting huge quantities of soil to evade checking. The Mining and Geology department used to give permission to the public to excavate soil.
As per the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, the Mining and Geology department gives permission only after inspecting the spot and charging a royalty of Rs 40 per cubic metre. Then, they issue a pass for mining. However, the mining mafia used to influence the department for procuring the pass illegally. Similarly, the department did not give permission to ordinary people to mine the earth for genuine causes. Likewise, the raids found that the officers of the department officials used to accept bribes from the mining mafia.
In Thiruvananthapuram district, the raid found that the Mining and Geology department officials have not recorded the registration numbers of the vehicles used for mining at Perumala near Nedumangad. The department has already given mineral transit pass for mining operations.
But the mining mafia also excavated sand at other places using this pass and took away the soil beyond the permissible limits, sleuths found in the raid. At Kottukal village, more than 15 cubic metres of earth was excavated from a paddy field. In Pathanamthitta district, the mining mafia excavated 735 cubic metres at Kannamkode.
In Alappuzha district, the raid exposed the illegal transportation of laterite soil at Palamel village in the guise of land development. Similarly, the raids brought the irregularities at Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod districts to the fore.
According to H Venkatesh, IG, Vigilance, the raids will be intensified in the coming days and the sleuths will check whether any police or revenue officers helped the mining mafia. The detailed report of the raid will be submitted to the government, he added.