Illegal sand mining racket busted in Thane, machinery of Rs 90 lakh destroyed
Thane (PTI): Authorities in Maharashtra's Thane district have carried out a crackdown against illegal sand mining in Bhiwandi taluka and destroyed various equipment, including barges, collectively valued at around Rs 90 lakh, officials said on Saturday.
The revenue department carried out the operation in Kevani creek area on Friday based on a tip-off, an official release said.
"The revenue department took major action against the mafia involved in illegal sand mining in the Kevani Sand Port area. In this operation, property worth about Rs 80 to 90 lakh was destroyed," it said.
During the operation, led by District Collector Shrikrishna Panchal, authorities destroyed five suction units and eight barges allegedly used in extraction of sand. The equipment was burnt and the barges were sunk in the creek, resulting in heavy financial losses to those involved in illegal activities, it added.
The mafia had created 12 large storage tanks along the creek to stock illegally extracted sand. These tanks were demolished using three backhoe loader machines, the release said.
Authorities said the land used for storing the sand falls under the 'reserved forest' category.
"Since the activity was being carried out on reserved forest land, strict action will also be taken by the forest department and the Mangrove Conservation Unit," it said.
Personnel from Bhiwandi Rural police station were deployed during the operation to maintain law and order and prevent any untoward incident, the release added.
The district administration said it has intensified its campaign against illegal sand mining in recent months, with multiple cases registered and equipment seized in earlier drives.
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Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.
The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.
However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.
They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.
