The Rajasthan government on Thursday, November 5, formed six special task forces to stop illegal gravel mining, transportation and storage in the state, in a move aimed at protecting the Jojari, Bandi and Luni river basins in western Rajasthan.

Source: Bumppy

The six teams will work in Sirohi, Sojat City, Jalore, Barmer, Jodhpur and Gotan. Additional Chief Secretary for Mines and Petroleum Aparna Arora shared the details of the new teams, Nation Press reported.

Source: Nation Press

Officials said the task forces must follow the directions given by the High-Level Ecosystem Oversight Committee, the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal, and will work to the Government of India's Enforcement and Monitoring Guidelines for Sand Mining, 2020. The teams have also been given powers to act under section 23B of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act.

Mining leaseholders must follow the conditions of their environmental clearances, and gravel must not be extracted beyond the allowed depth of three metres; mining beyond that depth will face strict action, officials said.

The announcement comes against the backdrop of the Supreme Court's suo motu case on contamination of the Jojari river. On October 26, a Bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta warned that the court could order a CBI investigation into alleged illegal mining and the regularisation of mining leases along the Jojari-Luni-Bandi system, and asked the State to return with a comprehensive restoration proposal; the matter is next listed on November 27.

Source: ANI via Latestly

With the task forces now formed, enforcement checks on mining, transport and storage of gravel in the six locations are expected to begin under the oversight framework the Supreme Court has set for the three rivers.