Jamshedpur: Mining Task Force Seizes 24 Vehicles, Collects ₹4.13 Lakh Fine

Jamshedpur: The East Singhbhum district Mining Task Force seized 24 vehicles and collected fines amounting to ₹4.13 lakh during a month-long enforcement drive.

The progress was reviewed during a meeting of the district-level Mining Task Force held at the Collectorate Auditorium under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner Rajiv Ranjan. Senior Superintendent of Police Piyush Pandey, Divisional Forest Officer Saba Alam Ansari, the Additional District Magistrate (Law and Order), and officials from various departments attended the meeting.

Between May 18 and June 14, punitive action has been taken in 20 cases related to illegal mining and transportation. During the operations, 906 tonnes of illegally extracted minerals were seized, including 812 tonnes of sand, 74 tonnes of stone chips, and 20 tonnes of iron ore.

The task force also seized 24 vehicles involved in illegal activities, comprising 16 Hyva trucks, five tractors, and three medium commercial vehicles. Two FIRs were lodged in connection with the violations.

Rajiv Ranjan directed all concerned departments to strengthen coordination and conduct regular inspection drives to curb illegal mining activities. He emphasized the need for prompt action on complaints and instructed officials to maintain strict vigilance over sand ghats, mining-affected areas, and major transportation routes. Special attention was also directed towards checking overloading of mineral-carrying vehicles.

The meeting further reviewed a report submitted by the Adityapur Regional Office of the Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board. Officials reported that two stone crushers and two brick kilns had recently been inspected and that further action regarding compliance with pollution control norms was underway. The Deputy Commissioner instructed authorities to ensure strict adherence to environmental regulations and take action against any violations detected during inspections.

The district administration announced that sand mining at all sand ghats in the district has been banned during the monsoon season, from June 10 to October 15, 2026, in compliance with directives issued by the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The administration has directed officials to enforce the ban strictly and prevent any illegal extraction during the period.