Ranchi, Jan 17 (PTI) The Jharkhand government will soon implement a sand taxi system similar to that of Telangana in order to provide sand to consumers at affordable rates, an official said on Wednesday. This move is aimed at combating illegal sand mining and sand mafias.
According to officials, the state’s mines and geology department will soon create a sand taxi portal where trucks, tractors, and other vehicles from across the state will be registered.
“Through this facility, consumers will be able to book sand online. Once sand is booked and the mode of transportation is selected, we will deliver the sand at their doorstep within 48 hours,” said Arva Rajkamal, director of mines.
Rajkamal added that if all goes according to plan, the system will be launched in the next financial year.
In terms of the department’s accomplishments, Aboobacker Siddique, the secretary of the mines and geology department, said tenders for sand ghats, which had been pending for a long time, have now been finalized.
“We have completed the tender process for 216 sand ghats and the bidders have received the letter of intent (LoI). Once they obtain clearance from the relevant department, they can commence mining,” Siddique revealed.
However, the bidders will need clearance from the state’s environment impact assessment authority (SEIAA), which falls under the jurisdiction of the forest department, before they can begin mining. Unfortunately, the SEIAA is currently non-operational in the state, according to an official source.
Siddique, on the other hand, said the establishment of the SEIAA is in progress and they anticipate it will be operational within a couple of months.
Furthermore, Siddique mentioned that large deposits of lithium have been discovered in Jharkhand, which will not only boost the state’s revenue but also raise its international profile in the near future.
Siddique, who also serves as the secretary of the agriculture department, revealed that the government plans to install rain gauges in every panchayat (local self-governing bodies) in the state.
“This year, the government has already declared 158 out of 264 blocks as drought-stricken. Similar to previous years, affected families will receive Rs 3,500 as drought relief,” he concluded. PTI SAN SAN MNB
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