BHOPAL: After announcing ban on sand mining in Narmada river for time being and prohibiting use of machines in sand mining work of other rivers, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday said that sand mining done through contract system will be changed. Sand mining will be done through use of labourers.
Chouhan said Self Help Groups (SHGs) of women and youths will do the mining work and Mining Corporation will give profit earned from sale of sand to them in the form of bonus. Money that was coming through mining and going into the pockets of few contractors will now go to the families of lakhs of poor labourers.
He made this announcement in the dedication programme of Narmada Seva Mission registration website for public participation in plantation. The interested persons can get themselves registered through the medium of website.
He emphasized that balance is must between environment and development. For construction, existence of both sand and rivers is essential. Arrangement would be made to restrict the quantity of mining for silt from rivers only to the required quantity. Sand mining through machines has been totally stopped.
Mineral Corporation will now control the mining besides fixing its rate and making sand available at reasonable rates to construct houses for the poor.
He said that massive tree plantation will be undertaken every year under the Narmada Seva Mission. Tree plantation will be undertaken in the entire catchment area and the Narmada bank on coming July 2. Plants will be planted in Forest and Revenue land and fruit-bearing saplings would be planted on private land. All essential efforts would be made to maintain the trees. Along with this treatment, plants would be installed to take the human waste in the opposite direction of Narmada. It would be recycled and released into fields and plantations.
Religious heads have even changed the pujan-vidhi. Kund are being prepared for immersing of pujan samagri. Bio farming will be increased.
He added that Narmada Seva Abhiyan will be implemented for protection of other rivers also. This will be expanded in other areas of environment. He said that the campaign is for the people and they would continue to move ahead. Government will extend all the support in the campaign. He and his wife Sadhana Singh got themselves registered as the first Swayamsevak of the Narmada Seva Mission on the website http://www.namamidevinarmade.mp.gov.in.
On this occasion, Forest Minister Dr Gaurishankar Shejwar, Jan Abhiyan Parishad Vice Chairman Raghavendra Gautam, Public Works Minister Rampal Singh, State Mineral Corporation Chairman Shiv Choubey, MP Bhagirath Prasad, musician Durga Jasraj, Dr Shankar Patidar from Gayatri parivar, etc were present.
