Yeida to use ex-servicemen to curb illegal sand mining on vacant plots
The Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (Yeida) has decided to hire at least 100 ex-servicemen to curb the rampant illegal sand mining in vacant plots along river Yamuna, officials said on Tuesday.
The move comes after repeated complaints from nearby residents that sand mafia is active in plots lying vacant in the close vicinity of Noida International airport.
“We have decided to deploy at least two men in each area, from where mining complaints are coming. There are around 50 sites where we need to deploy personnel to curb illegal sand mining. There is a need to deploy a dedicated team to contain sand mining because the regular authority staff inspects only during the day but illegal mining usually takes place at night. If need be, we will deploy more such retired army personnel in
the future,” said a Yeida official, asking not to be named.
These ex-servicemen will be deployed in sectors 18, 20, 29, 32 and 22D, where the authority has allotted plots to firms or individuals since 2009-10.
Many businessmen bought the plots for different purposes such as to build houses, schools, industrial units, and hospitals, but they are yet to start construction work. Most of these plots
are lying unattended and on some of them, farmers are still carrying out farming until the development work begins. As a result, some unknown people are digging the soil and selling it to the market, said officials.
Since these plots are located on the land that was once the Yamuna floodplain, unknown people use heavy earthmovers to mine the sand that is used for construction purposes.
They mine the vacant plots and then sell the sand in the market. As per the rules, no one can mine sand or soil without permission and approval from Yeida. The Yeida and the administration gives permission for mining only after the map is approved and on payment of a fee.
“Without permission, mining not only causes revenue loss to the government, but also causes air pollution in the area. Therefore we will deploy ex-servicemen to contain the menace,” said the same official quoted above.
The plot allottees have also filed complaints that unknown land mafia are mining soil and transporting it to other sites.
“The land mafia mines sand from vacant land and sell it to sites where earth filling work is required. If they mine sand, they sell it for construction purposes. And if they mine soil, then it is sold to those who need it for earth filling,” said Atul Singh, a plot owner in Sector 29.