http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOIM/2013/08/11&PageLabel=3&EntityId=Ar00307&ViewMode=HTML
Barely a fortnight after IAS Durga Sakthi Nagpal was suspended, an expert panel of theUnion environment ministry has vindicated her actions. The three-member panel has found ‘rampant, unscientific and illegal mining’ in various places in Gautam Budh Nagar in gross violation of rules. P 15 Sand mafia tries to kill Hingoli tehsildar
Aurangabad: The sand mafia on Saturday tried to mow down Hingoli tehsildar and his team at Patonda village on Penganga river bank, when they visited the site to stop illegal mining and nab the miners.
Acting on a tip-off that the mafia was mining sand illegally on Patonda river bank, about 40km from Hingoli and located on the border of Marathwada and Vidarbha, tehsidar Vidyacharan Kadavkar (36) reached the spot along with his team ,the police said.
“Around 1 pm, when our team of 11 members reached the spot in a jeep, we saw five tractors engaged in illegal mining. On seeing us, the miners started fleeing the place. When we attempted to stop them they rammed their vehicle into our jeep. We then jumped out of our vehicle and tried to stop them. However, they again made an attempt to run over us but we managed to escape,” said Kadavkar, adding, “In the melee, all five tractors fled from the spot.” “Nobody suffered any injuries. We managed to note down the registration numbers of only four of the five tractors,” Kadavkar said. Sunil Lanjewar, sub-divisional police officer, said, “The tehsildar has lodged a complaint with against the illegal miners engaged in illegal sand mining at Patonda.”
“A case has been registered and action will be taken after further investigation,” Lanjewar said.
The tehsildar said that on their way to Patonda, they had spotted two more trucks loaded with sand in Pedgaon village.
