Lucknow: Between 2017 and 2022, bulldozers, ambulances, hearse vans and e-rickshaws were said to be used to transport minerals in 17 districts of Uttar Pradesh, as discovered by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India. Over 83,000 such “unsuitable” vehicles were used—on paper, at least—for the purpose, CAG’s audit report, tabled earlier this month in the state assembly, revealed.
Minerals like limestone, dolostone, granite, sand and coarse sand are mined and transported in Bundelkhand and eastern UP regions. The CAG found that in the period 2017-18 to 2021-22, minerals were excavated illegally outside the lease areas allotted to 45 lessees, across nearly 269 hectares. To cover up the allegedly illegal mining, extra vehicles were shown on record, but their fake registration numbers exposed the irregularities.
ThePrint reached the Director of Geology and Mining in the state, Mala Srivastava, for a comment, but the calls went unanswered. The mining department falls under the charge of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath himself.
According to the CAG report on mining in Uttar Pradesh and the socio-economic impact of illegal mining, vehicles “unsuitable” for transporting minerals were shown to be used multiple times a day in the said time period.
It added that 407 ambulances were shown to be used for transporting 11,809 cubic metres of minerals, for which 767 transit passes were issued. Further, 12,763 motor cars were said to be used, with 28,116 transit permits issued for transporting 3,66,811 cubic metres of minerals. Nine hearse vehicles “transported” 485 cubic metres of minerals. Additionally, 3,625 buses, 29,525 e-rickshaws, 1,621 bulldozers, and so on were found to be used.
The report further said that 85,928 vehicles were found to have fake registration numbers, of which 81,280 vehicles were not registered on the government’s “Vahan” database. Less than seven digits were found on number plates of 3,883 vehicles, and 765 vehicles showed only a numeral registration number.
The CAG observed that these vehicles were not meant for transportation of minerals, and therefore, it can be assumed that minerals were not carried by these vehicles. The practice might have been used to legitimise the overloading of minerals, the report said.
The 17 districts where the irregularities were reported include Chitrakoot, Fatehpur, Hamirpur, Banda and Mahoba in Bundelkhand region; Baghpat, Bulandshahr, Gautambuddh Nagar, Saharanpur, Sambhal and Shamli in West UP; Kanpur, Prayagraj and Kaushambi in Central UP; and Siddharthnagar and Sonebhadra in East UP.
ThePrint has learnt that the CAG found cases of illegal mining outside lease areas and without grant of mining permits, using Google Earth and satellite imagery.
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‘Monitoring failure’
The CAG report highlighted that monitoring failed on both state and district levels with respect to the “illegal” mining and use of “fake” vehicles, adding that leaseholders were issuing e-transit passes without actual need.
According to data in the report, 4,48,637 e-transit passes were generated for 85,928 vehicles with fake registration numbers to “transport” 24,51,021 cubic metres of minerals. Flagging the manipulation in the transportation of minerals, the CAG report also pointed out that there were cases of said transportation via different vehicles multiple times with the same transit pass.
CAG observed that the state Directorate of Geology and Mining failed to monitor these activities, adding that the District Mining Officers did not use technology to detect illegal mining.
Five cases were discovered in Chitrakoot, Hamirpur and Sonbhadra, where mining was done in 30.40 hectares without a lease. There were also cases of brick kiln operators not following the rules, with no fines or penalties imposed on them.
Vikas Singh Parimar, Hamirpur district mining officer, told ThePrint, “We are aware of the CAG report, and are working to fix the issues. We will also respond to the queries raised. In Hamirpur, coarse sand is mainly being transported, and we are addressing the loopholes.”
Chitrakoot district mining officer Ranbir Kumar Singh said, “The CAG audit report covers the period from 2017 to 2022. Since then, many improvements have been made. We are preparing our response to it.”
The CAG report has also triggered backlash from the Opposition in the state. Congress’s Aradhna Mishra ‘Mona’ told ThePrint, “The CAG report reveals several shocking facts on illegal mining in the state. Ambulances and bulldozers are being used for the transportation of minerals. The government should answer.”
Samajwadi Party spokesperson Manoj Kaka said that the report pertains to CM Yogi’s first tenure, but the situation in the second tenure remains the same. “The government has gone completely silent on the CAG audit report as it exposes their ‘zero tolerance’ against corruption narrative,” he told ThePrint.
(Edited by Mannat Chugh)
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