-The Times of India NEW DELHI: Humble sand is today big business. The boom in the construction industry in the last decade has triggered a huge demand for sand, to meet which contractors, with the help of pliant state officials, have begun a dig-load-sell exercise at a frantic pace. The story of illegal loot of sand in this high-stake business is repeated in state after state. TOI spoke to several officials, activists,...
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Sand mining causes Yamuna to shift 500m east, threaten Noida -Vandana Keelor
-The Times of India NOIDA: The sand mafia, against which suspended IAS officer Durga Nagpal had started a campaign, has been responsible for the Yamuna shifting course about 500 metres east, posing a threat to sectors 150, 151, 153, 135, 167 and 168 of Noida. Irrigation department officials here say they have repeatedly warned the district administration about this and also filed several FIRs with the police, the last one in March...
More »Ministry of environment and forest wants probe report on table by tomorrow -Vishwa Mohan
-The Times of India NEW DELHI: Buoyed by the action taken by young IAS officer Durga Sakthi Nagpal against sand mafia, the union ministry of environment and forest, which has constituted a committee to inquire into the allegations of illegal sand mining in Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Budh Nagar district, has asked for the panel report by Friday. The three-member committee will also look into "adverse environmental impact" of such activities and...
More »Man who took on sand mafia shot dead
-The Indian Express Noida (Uttar Pradesh): A 40-year-old man, who had allegedly taken on the sand mafia operating in his village, was shot dead at his residence in Raipur village in Sector 126, Noida, on Wednesday. Family members alleged that he was murdered as he had complained against a particular family engaged in illegal sand mining. The family also claimed that the mining was being done in the same area where suspended...
More »Government pulled two thorns out of sand mafia's side in a week -Vandana Keelor
-The Times of India NOIDA: On July 25, three days before IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal was suspended, the mining officer assisting her in the drive against sand mafia was shunted out. The officer, Ashish Kumar, was transferred to Bulandshahr. While the Noida city magistrate has been handed over Nagpal's duties, the Gautam Budh Nagar district, much to the delight of the sand mafia, currently has no mining officer. According to sources,...
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