MYSORE: A vigilance squad under the Additional Superintendent of Police has been constituted to crackdown on illegal sand mining in Mysore. The squad will also check the movement of trucks carrying sand beyond the permissible limit.

A decision in this regard was taken during a meeting chaired by Deputy Commissioner P. Manivannan, here on Saturday.

Owing to complaints of illegal sand mining in T. Narsipur taluk, legislator and the former Minister H.C. Mahadevappa had sought action to tackle the problem. Mr. Manivannan had given an assurance that he would take action at the earliest.

The senior geologist of the Mines and Geology Department, Assistant Commissioner of Mysore, the executive officers of the taluk panchayats, tahsildars, RTOs and the ARTOs will be part of the squad.

It is learnt that the squad had been asked to submit reports from time to time after conducting inspections and raids at the sites where sand mining was taking place. If there was violation of rules, the squad could initiate action, according to official sources. The district administration has also decided to initiate action against the authorities of the RTO if trucks transporting sand beyond the permissible limit were found moving in T. Narsipur taluk, from June 28 onwards. The authorities had been directed to prevent movement of trucks carrying more than 10 tonnes of sand.

Unabated sand mining, most of it illegal, to meet the requirements of the booming construction industry in Mysore and Bangalore has kept the officials of the Department of Mines and Geology on their toes since the last few months. The officials had warned of booking cases against people involved in illegal sand mining, under the Mines and Minerals (Regulation and Development) Act, 1957 and IPC 379.

Following the ban on sand mining along the banks of the Shimsha and the Cauvery rivers in Mandya district, there has been incidence of illegal mining on the banks of the Cauvery in Mysore district.

Raids were conducted recently at villages in Nanjangud taluk following reports of illegal sand mining at the Kapila riverbed.