Ara: Bhojpur district administration and police teams conducted simultaneous raids on 20 Dharam Kantas (weighbridges) in the district on Sunday and allegedly found them involved in the illegal storage and sale of sand. An FIR was lodged at Chandi police station in this connection.Ara Sadar SDPO-II Ranjit Kumar Singh said a total fine of Rs1.60 crore was imposed on the 20 weighbridges. He said further action was being initiated to cancel their licences and seal the facilities for alleged violations of licensing rules.Addressing a news conference on Sunday afternoon, Singh said the raids were conducted on the joint instructions of the Bhojpur district magistrate and superintendent of police following a tip-off. Joint teams comprising police, mining and transport officials conducted the raids on 20 weighbridges located between Bhadwar and Khangaon Mor under Chandi police station area.The SDPO said the raids found the weighbridges allegedly involved in cutting, storing and selling sand through tractors and trucks during the day and night. He said illegal storage and sale of sand caused revenue loss to the state govt and amounted to violations of the conditions and norms of the licences issued to the weighbridges.Fines ranging from Rs5.5 lakh to Rs13 lakh were imposed on the 20 weighbridges, taking the total penalty to Rs1.60 crore, Singh said.Further action was being initiated to cancel their licences and seal the weighbridges, he said.praveensibu@gmail.com
