The contract, awarded under the Jal Jeevan Mission and Water Grid Scheme, allowed extraction of 9,600 brass of sand from the reserved sand belt at Sanav village in Gangapur. The royalty payable to the government was ₹63.6 lakh. However, a report submitted by Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Santosh Gorad has revealed that over 18,000 brass of sand — nearly double the permitted quantity — was illegally extracted. The market value of the excess sand is estimated at ₹27 crore, causing a direct and massive loss to the state exchequer.
In response to the report, District Collector Dilip Swamy has suspended Engineer Koli from the Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran (MJP) and directed the filing of a criminal case against the concerned contractors.
What raises further concerns is that although the contract was issued in the name of MJP, the actual extraction was carried out by a third-party contractor, for whom there are reportedly no official records. This indicates potential collusion and negligence within the administrative process.
The district administration has launched a full-scale inquiry into the case. Authorities are examining how such large-scale illegal activity went unnoticed and are exploring the role of various officials involved. Legal action under environmental, revenue, and criminal law provisions is expected.
Collector Swamy has emphasized that strictest possible action will be taken against all involved, including government officials, contractors, and intermediaries. “This is a serious violation of government trust and a direct attack on public resources,” he stated.
Apart from financial loss, the ecological damage caused by excessive sand mining from riverbeds is a serious concern. Over-extraction can disrupt the river ecosystem, affect water tables, and lead to long-term environmental degradation.
This incident comes amid increasing scrutiny of illegal sand mining practices across Maharashtra and is expected to trigger further audits and reforms in sand extraction licensing and monitoring.