Crackdown on illegal mining: Bokaro administration acts against illegal sand mining; High-level committee formed to monitor ongoing operations

Bokaro: The Bokaro district administration has intensified its crackdown on illegal sand mining in the Damodar river region of Bhathua. Acting on the directives of deputy commissioner (DC) Ajay Nath Jha, the mining department and the local police seized a large quantity of illegally extracted sand on Wednesday.Senior officials of Bokaro Steel Plant (BSL) were summoned, and a high-level committee was constituted to oversee the action against the illegal trade.District mining officer Ravi Kumar said that an FIR has been lodged by the inspector of the district mining department at Harla police station against three named accused — Nirmal Kumar Mahto, Ambuj Kumar Sahu and Sanjiv Mahto. Following an on-the-spot assessment, the department’s team found that nearly 2,21,000 cubic feet (CFT) of sand had been illegally excavated and removed from the site. Additionally, around 1,66,000 CFT of soil was also found to have been unlawfully dug out.According to sources, large-scale illegal sand mining has been ongoing at the Damodar River ghat in the Bhathua area. Nearly six earth movers are reportedly engaged in extraction, while more than 100 tractors transport sand daily. The area falls under Harla police station jurisdiction, and hundreds of tractors allegedly ferry sand through Sector-6, Sector-4, Chas, Mufassil, Sector-12, and adjoining localities, supplying Bokaro township and nearby regions with minimal fear of enforcement.Most of the affected land reportedly belongs to BSL, with portions under the forest department, while the Damodar riverbed falls under the mining department’s jurisdiction. Despite the existence of a district mining task force, the illegal operations have continued unabated, leading to significant revenue loss for the state.A high-level committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of the forest division officer, Bokaro, to bring the situation under control. The committee includes the director of DPLR, the additional collector, the district mining officer, the deputy superintendent of police, and nominated representatives from BSL management.Chief of communication, BSL, Manikant Dhan said, “The joint committee constituted by the district administration has representatives from BSL. The company will work together with the administration and look into the issue."Over the past four years, the district mining department has reportedly registered more than 14 FIRs and seized several tractors and one earthmover.“A report received on Feb 16, 2026, confirmed illegal mining and encroachment in the region. On Jan 10, 2026, the forest division officer of Bokaro reported unauthorised excavation and transportation on BSL-acquired land in Bhatua village. Following repeated complaints, the administration decided to initiate stringent action,” the deputy commissioner said.The deputy commissioner further said that the committee has been directed to conduct intensive inspections to curb illegal mining and encroachment, with mandatory progress reports to be submitted every 15 days.Earlier, the DC chaired a detailed review meeting at the collectorate, which was attended by SP Bokaro Harvinder Singh, DPLR director Meenakshi, additional collector Md Mumtaz Ansari, district mining officer Ravi Kumar, chief general manager of BSL, Kundan Kumar, and other senior officials. The meeting focused on strengthening joint enforcement drives, intensifying raids, and ensuring continuous monitoring of vulnerable areas.