Admin slaps penalty of over Rs 34 cr for illegal excavation of muroom, metal

 

 

 

After the Forest Department raised red flag over deep bore blasting for metal excavation in buffer area of Bor Tiger Reserve last month, Revenue Department swung into action. A team conducted spot inspection and submitted a report following which Tahsildar of Hingna served notices to violators concerned and slapped penalty of over Rs 34 crore in two cases for illegal excavation of muroom and metal. Santosh Khandre, Tahsildar of Hingna, issued the notices to Nihar Jayant Khalatkar (KCC) in a case of muroom excavation in Mouza Pendhri land, and to Nihar Jayant Khalatkar and Sanjay Chandrashekhar Ingle in a case of excavation of metal in Mouza Kawdas. Khandre has called the noticees in both cases to remain present for hearing scheduled on February 11 (Thursday) at Hingna Tahsil Office and submit their say. As per the Tahsildar’s notice, a penalty of Rs 4,87,40,000/- has been calculated in case of illegal excavation 9,748.47 brass of muroom in Mouza Pendhri. Further, penalty of Rs 30,07,70,000/- has been calculated in the case of illegal excavation of 30,077 brass of metal in Mouza Kawdas.

 

The notices issued by Tahsildar of Hingna detail the action taken and findings of spot inspection conducted by team deputed for the purpose. The land in Mouza Pendhri is owned by Sadashiv Ganpat Uikey. The administration had given permission to Nihar Jayant Khalatkar (KCC) for excavation and transport of 7,600 brass of minor mineral (muroom). The inspection team found that total 11,852 brass of muroom was excavated from the area admeasuring 130 metre in length, 60 metre in width, and 4.3 metre in depth. After the team, Naib Tahsildar also conducted another spot panchnama to ascertain the findings and submitted his report to Tahsildar on February 8. It was found that total 32,865 brass of muroom was excavated.

 

Again, District Mining Officer was asked to carry out technical inspection. Accordingly, the District Mining Officer conducted technical inspection through Shri Guru Consultancy, which submitted report on February 8 and recorded excavation of 17,348.97 brass of muroom. Based on these inspections, Tahsildar calculated penalty of Rs 4,87,40,000/- on excess excavation of 9,748.47 brass of muroom, at the rate of five times the market value of muroom per brass. In the second case pertaining to illegal excavation of metal at Mouza Kawdas, spot inspection found that black metal was excavated from 180 metre long, 160 metre wide, and 30 metre deep area.

 

The excavation was done by conducting blasting ‘without permission’, records the notice. The staff/workers on site could not show any documents relating to royalty about heap of sand, states the notice. Following spot panchnama by Naib Tahsildar and technical inspection done by District Mining Officer through Shri Guru Consultancy, the administration calculated the penalty amount of Rs 30,07,70,000/- against illegal excavation of 30,077 brass of metal at the rate of five times the market value of the mineral. Hingna Tahsildar has asked in the notice why the said penalty should not be recovered from the noticees. He has asked them to attend the hearing on Thursday and submit their say in this regard.