Bihar deploys drones to monitor illegal sand mining

Patna: The Bihar government has deployed drones to curb illegal mining in the state, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha said on Tuesday.

He emphasised the government's commitment to eliminate illegal mining.

"We have appealed to the citizens to report any incidents of illegal sand mining. We will also reward them as an incentive for providing valuable information. The department will ensure the confidentiality of informants and, in recognition of their contributions, will honour them," he said.

In his directive, the deputy chief minister urged officials to remain vigilant and ensure that no illegal mining activities occur in the state.

The Bihar government has designated 984 sand ghats - 581 yellow sand ghats and 403 white sand ghats - for mining activities.

Of these, 373 sand ghats have already been auctioned, and the process of auctioning the remaining 611 ghats was underway. Previously, 580 sand ghats were operational, but around 250 larger ghats were not auctioned due to their size.

To make them more manageable and facilitate the auction process, these larger ghats were subdivided into smaller units, increasing the total number of sand ghats by 400, and bringing the overall count to 984.

This expansion and formalisation of sand mining operations aim to curb illegal mining and significantly boost state revenue.

In 2022-23, Bihar's sand mining generated Rs 575 crore in revenue, while the same period in 2023-24 saw a significant jump, with Rs 1,034 crore collected. The officials were expecting to generate double the revenue in 2024-25 compared to the corresponding period last year.

The government's efforts, including the use of drones for monitoring and public involvement in reporting illegal activities, are part of a broader plan to optimise this revenue stream.

The seasonal halt on sand mining, imposed from June 15 during the monsoon per the National Green Tribunal's (NGT) guidelines, ended on Tuesday (October 15).