The Garhwa district administration has formed a four-member team to investigate alleged illegal sand mining and storage at multiple ghats along the Kanhar river in Dhurki block, with the panel directed to submit its report within a week.
The probe team will be headed by Banshidhar Nagar Sub-Divisional Magistrate Prabhakar Mirdha, Garhwa deputy commissioner Pashupati Nath Mishra said, according to a report by The Times of India. The inquiry follows complaints that sand is being extracted and stored illegally at several locations in the district.
The complaints identify Kadwa, Rampa ghat, Ambakhoriya, Balchaura, Libra ghat and Machpani ghat among the affected sites. Sand ghats near Sukhaldari waterfall have also been named. The administration’s inquiry is expected to examine the alleged mining activity, the locations where sand has been stored and the agencies responsible for regulating the riverbed and surrounding land.
The allegations state that loaders and JCB machines are being used during night hours for sand mining. The report also said sand is allegedly being stored on forest land. These claims are now subject to the district-level investigation and have not been established independently in the supplied material.
The complaints have also raised concerns about the possible involvement of some local officials and forest department personnel. The four-member team’s report is expected to determine the facts behind these allegations and identify any administrative or regulatory violations. The administration has not announced the names of the other members of the panel.
The issue extends beyond the extraction of a construction material. Villagers have reportedly expressed concern about their safety and the protection of crops, with allegations that mining activity is affecting wildlife habitats and reducing the natural habitat available to animals. Any disruption to riverine and forest areas could therefore have consequences for both local livelihoods and human-wildlife interactions, although the extent of the impact remains to be assessed by the inquiry.
Mishra said the administration’s objectives were to stop illegal sand mining and storage, protect government revenue, safeguard the environment and wildlife, and protect local residents. The administration’s immediate next step is the submission of the probe team’s detailed report within one week.
