Sanghvi Police registers FIR against three for illegal sand mining

Pune: The Sanghvi Police have registered an FIR against the driver of an earthmover and two other unidentified persons for their alleged involvement in illegal sand mining at the confluence of Ramnadi and Mula river.
Several residents of Aundh and volunteers of Jeevitnadi, an NGO, along with police personnel visited the patch behind the Aundh Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) on Friday night after getting information about illegal mining in the area.
“There were two tractors without any number plates at the spot and the earthmover, which also had no registration number. When the people at the spot saw the police coming towards them, they took to heels. Only the driver of the earth mover was nabbed,” said Vaishali Patkar, a local resident and social worker, who filed the FIR.
The FIR was filed against Vijaykumar Saav, the driver of an earth mover, and two unidentified persons under section 379 of the Indian Penal Code and sections 9 and 15 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
According to Patkar, she received a call around 11pm on Friday about mining activities at the confluence of both the rivers.
“I was told that someone had seen an earthmover going towards the riverbed. I called another resident, Pushkar Kulkarni, and some others before reaching the spot by 11.45 pm. After seeing the earthmover, we dialled 100 to inform the police and went back to wait on the bridge over Ramnadi. Once some personnel arrived from Chaturshringi police station, Kulkarni went with them towards the spot where digging was going on.”
According to Patkar, instances of illegal mining have been reported from across the city. “Recently, a few citizens from the city also discussed the issue, so we called the police to nab those involved in the theft of sand from the riverbed. The police could catch one person and they are conducting further investigatiions,” she added.
“We want stringent action against those involved in the incident so that such instances of illegal mining can be checked,” said Shailaja Deshpande, a member of Jeevitnadi.
Senior police inspector of Sangvi police station Rangnath Unde confirmed that a FIR has been registered in the matter and investigations are on.