Patna

The Bihar government is using drones to combat illegal sand mining, as announced by Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha on Tuesday. He reiterated the government’s dedication to eradicating such activities in the state.  Sinha encouraged citizens to report instances of illegal sand mining, promising rewards for useful information. He assured that informants would remain anonymous and be honored for their contributions. He also directed officials to stay alert and prevent illegal mining across Bihar.

The government has identified 984 designated sand ghats with 581 yellow sand ghats and 403 white sand ghats for legal mining operations. Currently, 373 of these ghats have been auctioned, with the auction process for the remaining 611 ongoing. Previously, 580 sand ghats were active, but about 250 larger ghats were not auctioned due to size. To address this, these larger ghats have been divided into smaller units, increasing the total number of sand ghats to 984.

This initiative aims to regulate sand mining, reduce illegal activities, and enhance state revenue. In the 2022-23 fiscal year, Bihar earned Rs 575 crore from sand mining, which rose to Rs 1,034 crore in 2023-24. Officials anticipate doubling this revenue in 2024-25. The seasonal ban on sand mining due to the monsoon season, imposed on June 15, has now ended.