The trafficking of illegally extracted sand across Burdwan (East) and some parts of neighbouring Bankura has got a new twist, with coupons bearing the hologram of an unregistered organisation, which is used as a shield against action by police and Land and Land Revenue authorities during transportation of sand by truck, turning up. This system, according to the district authorities, started barely a week ago.

They suspect the hand of the sand trafficking mafia behind it. The unregistered organisation of the name of ‘Bengal (South) Sand Block Owners, Partners and Worker’s Association’ purportedly has the owners of the sandpits and the daily labourers engaged in the pits as members. The coupons issued for transportation of truckloads from the sandpits in the riverbeds, according to a section of district administration officials, are printed in three different colours (pink, saffron and blue) (in photo) and designed to demarcate the tonnage of the sand carriage.

These also bear holograms as well. The coupon has a box in the left bottom for mentioning the pit number from which the sand is extracted. The coupons claim: ‘Funds are collected for association’s development and social welfare.’ “Every such coupon is sold to the transporters against Rs 120 and is valid for a carriage over a month. We have got a few copies of such coupons,” said an official of the district administration here today.

The ADM (Land Revenue), Burdwan (East), Sashi Chowdhury said: “We have come to know about the unauthorized parallel revenue system in sand transportation yesterday and discussed the matter with the district magistrate and the superintendent of police, Burdwan (East).” He said: “We have told our officials to crack down against the trucks carrying such consignments. We have prepared an immediate action plan to curb the menace.”

The officials at the ground level are told to impose double penalty against the sand transporters who produce such coupons when accosted by authorities. The ADM said: “A number of stringent measures are in the pipeline.” The district incidentally has realised revenue of Rs 6.5 crore from the offender vehicles which were caught while transporting illegally extracted sand from the Damodar and Ajoy rivers. Today, the officials have also intensified raids at different riverbeds.

The officials claimed, at least 500 truckloads of illegally extracted sand are dispatched from the blocks like Jamalpur, Galsi, Khandaghosh, Memari and Raina and Ketugram. Illegal sand trafficking has become a recurring menace across districts like Burdwan (East) and Burdwan (West), Bankura, Birbhum over the years. The unauthorized lifters are ‘looting’ government property indiscriminately and a number of complaints have been lodged with the district police and administration. According to the locals, the illegal trade runs in league with a section of police and the Land Revenue department officials at the ground level.