Bihar government begins environmental audit of sand ghats

Bihar State Mining Corporation Limited is carrying out an environmental audit of sand ghats following the central government’s Environmental Guide 2020 to stop illegal mining in the state.

Officials said that there are many environmental regulations for sand mining, and their compliance is crucial. Keeping this in mind, an environmental audit of all sand ghats of Bihar has begun.

Contractors have been picked, and sand mining has commenced in Bihar. As sand mining against prescribed norms is hazardous for nature, river ecosystems and sustainable environmental protection, the mining corporation is carrying out the environmental audit.

Authorities said that during this audit, the mining plan of sand ghats, their latitude and longitude related details, requirements of consent for operation released by Bihar State Pollution Control Board (SPCB), measures associated with sand mining, its storage and transportation would additionally be examined by the audit agency involved.

The corporation has assigned this task to Ocean Inviro Management, Cognizance Research India, P&M Solutions, Ryan Enviro Pvt Ltd and Asenso Enviro Pvt Ltd, registered by the Ministry of environment, forest and climate.These agencies will utilise the latest technology and drones to review the respective sand ghats. They will be ordered to audit the sand ghats on a random basis.

The officials said that in case of any abnormality in the environmental audit report, legal action will be taken against the sand ghat contractors concerned.The purpose of this entire initiative is to stop illegal mining and guarantee compliance with environmental standards.

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