Illegal road blocked in Alibaug to check beach sand mining

NAVI MUMBAI: Raigad district officials in Alibaug taluka have taken action against illegal sand mining at Kihim and Awas beaches following a June 7 report published in TOI on the activity.
A team of officials led by Alibaug tehsildar Vikram Patil visited both the beaches earlier this week and also blocked the illegal pathway created to allow bullock carts to enter the shore for illegal mining.
“The prompt action taken by district officials to curtail the illegal sand mining is a welcome move. We hope the state government continues to monitor this area to ensure the activity does not resume,” said environmentalist Sumaira Abdulali of Awaaz Foundation, adding that the article published in TOI “greatly helped highlight this environmental damage”.
Tehsildar Patil, who prepared the panchanama, has also issued a list of mobile phone numbers of officials based in Kihim and Awas areas who the citizens can contact if they wish to report similar instances of illegal sand mining in the region. “The tehsildar also issued an order constituting a committee for anonymous complaints if sand mining resumes,” said Abdulali.
Officials citizens can contact: P B Mokal, Saral circle officer -9422694399; S V Patil, Kihim board officer -9420393065; Sudarshan Sawant, Awas talathi-9921490421; Nilesh Bhagat, Awas kotwal-7507733480; Prabhakar Talap, Kihim kotwal-9850588541.