When the entire archipelago was engrossed in celebrating the 68th Republic Day of the nation, a group of villagers from a remote hamlet in Baratang, Middle Andaman, intercepted an employee of a private contractor with loads of illegally extracted sea sand. According to sources, the sea sand was hauled out from Balu Dera beach here as the private construction agency here tried to make best possible use of the opportunity. The driver along with the Pick-up Van loaded with sea sand was handed over to the Forest Department by the villagers, who demanded apposite action against the violators of forest regulations, according to reports. Illegal extraction of sea sand has become a recurring phenomenon here. Recently, villagers found many construction workers extracting and transporting sea sand from Balu Dera beach, but most of them managed to evade government action for the violations. While common residents are dealt severely for even minor forest offences, such large scale illegal extraction of sea sand continues unabated. The Forest Department should ensure parity in implementation of the regulations without any discrimination or bias, said some villagers of South Creek speaking to this Correspondent.
Echo of India