Vehicles Damaging Roads, Notice Issued to Amaldiha and Udaiband Sand Mine Operators.

Residents in the Masturi tehsil area of Bilaspur have complained that heavy vehicles transporting sand from the Amaldiha and Udaiband sand mines are damaging the local roads, particularly the Prime Minister’s Road. Following these complaints, officials from the revenue and mining departments conducted a joint inspection with the presence of villagers on April 20. The mine operators’ representatives agreed in writing to repair the damaged road, and the villagers accepted this commitment.

However, on April 24, the Assistant Mining Officer, along with mining staff, conducted a surprise inspection of the Amaldiha and Udaiband sand mines at around 10 am. During the inspection, they found two heavy machines, Hyundai model 210 and model 205, operating within the approved area of the Amaldiha sand mine. The Assistant Mining Officer seized the machines in the presence of the village head (sarpanch) but could not take them into custody because the operators refused. Instead, the operators were put in charge of the machines, with a warning not to use them until further notice.

At the Udaiband sand mine, another heavy machine, a Kamastu model 210, was also found operating within the approved area. Like in Amaldiha, this machine was seized, but the operators were given custody of it.

The authorities have issued a notice to the sand mine operators, asking them to explain why they violated the terms of their excavation lease. The notice refers to the Chhattisgarh Minor Mineral (Extraction and Business) Rules, 2019, and the Chhattisgarh Minor Mineral Rules, 2015. If the operators fail to provide a satisfactory response, they could face strict penalties according to these regulations.