Flourishing illegal mining in Madhya Pradesh: Are politicians involved?

Morena: Almost a month after Indian Police Service(IPS) officer Narendra Kumar Singh was slain by the sand mafia in Morena, an NDTV investigation reveals that illegal mining is still being carried on despite the promises made by the state administration to curb it, perhaps even with some political backing.

Last year, 174 cases of illegal mining and transportation were registered in Morena. Though, after the IPS officer's murder, the sight of tractors laden with stone or sand have become a rare sight. This could be in part due to the strict vigil being kept by the authorities.

 Around 100 stone cutting units were checked in Morena following the IPS officer's murder and were declared defaulters. The stone cutting units declare a certain number of stones in storage, but sources reveal that the quantity is usually two to three times the number revealed.

The miners access stone cutting units using transit passes and sell stones for a price ranging anywhere between Rs 5000- 25000. Sources have revealed that stone cutting units buy illegally mined stones at throwaway prices and send it to exporters in Delhi, Calcutta, and Chennai at a much higher profit than their regular 10 per cent margin.

The authorities have, however, denied that any such trading existed.

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Morena Mining officer RK Kaneria revealed that there are 132 authorised sandstone mines in the district, denying that illegal mining is taking place outside the approved land.

"Whenever we come across a case of illegal mining, we take action," he adds.

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However, a drive through the interiors of Morena tells a different tale. Fresh blocks of stone strewn across the path are evidence that illegal mining is still thriving here, but any evidence to substantiate the claim is long gone as cranes and other machinery used for mining activities have disappeared from the area. The absence of officials for miles on the site is also extremely suspicious.

According to Morena MLA Parasram Mudgal, a strong nexus exists between the politicians and the illegal miners as the former support the latter to gain votes.  

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"Besides vote during election politicians are paid hefty amounts by the illegal miners," Mr Mudgal said.

He also adds that the gujjar community is mostly involved in the illegal mining activity.

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Earlier this month, BJP's Morena Vice president Hamir Patel was arrested for illegal mining. Last week, Congress MLA Andal Singh Kansana's son Kaptan Singh got bail in a 2010 case where he along with 12 armed men allegedly took away a seized truck from outside a police station.

Mr Mudgal's claim point to a definite link between the politicians and the illegal mining activities in Morena, however, nobody is willing to take reveal names. The few stray cases against the guilty politicians are a tiny part of what seems like a huge and convoluted nexus.

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