Jharkhand's panchayats get sand mining rights

Panchayats in Jharkhand have been given rights for sand mining, said an official Thursday.

"The Jharkhand cabinet has given its nod to panchayats for sand mining. The bidding for sand mining which has been done will be cancelled," Cabinet Secretary J.B. Tubid told reporters.

The cabinet decision came after alliance partners put pressure on the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-led (JMM) government of Hemant Soren to cancel the bidding for sand mining and hand over these rights to the panchayats.

The opposition and alliance partners like the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) were opposing open bidding of sand mining as companies based outside the state were getting tenders for the mining.

The sand crisis also deepened due to Supreme Court order regarding sand mining environmental clearance. According to sources, the state government will approach the national pollution authority requesting some time for environment clearances.