The Maharashtra government will soon be adopting the system of bar-coded receipts to check the random transportation of sand between districts and inter-state borders.
Revenue minister Balasaheb Thorat declared the government’s intention to have bar-coded receipts and reiterated the e-tendering process for regularising sand mining.
Mr Thorat was speaking at a function arranged by the Talathi Sanghtana in Palghar. Minister of state Rajendra Gavit was also present at the programme, where lower ranking revenue officers submitted a list of demands and forwarded a list of practical difficulties faced by them in trying to plug the sand mafia.
The revenue officers in their charter of demands tendered that “sand” be declared national property. It was submitted that while it was the responsibility of the custom officers to take preventive action against illegal activities at sea coast and river banks, low ranking revenue officials such as talathis were being held responsible for the same. The talathis also submitted that they do not have any infrastructure, proper offices and protection, while they do their job.
“It is true that adequate protection is not being provided to the talathis, circles or even nayab tehasildars when they go out and try to stop illegal sand mining or transportation of sand. The state has been constantly trying to come up with some solution to overcome this shortcoming,” Mr Gavit said. The minister further announced that it would be spending `142 crore to provide better on-the-job facilities to low ranking officials.