Vadodara Flying Squad Busts ₹3.50 Crore Illegal Sand Mining Racket in Orsang River

The Vadodara Flying Squad seized three Hitachi machines and seven trucks worth ₹3.50 crore during a raid against illegal sand mining in the Orsang River between Devaliya and Tejgarh near Chhotaudepur.

Acting on a specific tip-off, the flying squad team raided the stretch of the riverbed falling under Chhotaudepur taluka, catching the operation unawares. The operation was supervised by Vadodara Flying Squad officer D.N. Pavaya. Initial investigations revealed that no valid mining lease had been approved or issued for extracting sand at the location.

Seized Machinery and Pending Royalty Loss Assessment

Following the raid, officials impounded all heavy machinery and transport vehicles found loading sand directly from the riverbed. Authorities have launched a detailed probe into the operation. A formal measurement of the excavated river section is underway to quantify the exact volume of sand illegally lifted and assess the total loss of royalty revenue to the state exchequer.

High-Quality Sand Drives Persistent Riverbed Theft

The Orsang River, which flows through Chhotaudepur district, is widely known across Gujarat for the superior quality of its sand. This high demand has turned the riverbed into a hotspot for illegal mining activities. Local residents and critics have raised sharp questions over the enforcement capabilities of the Chhotaudepur district mining and minerals department, alongside various taluka-level enforcement teams, for failing to curb ongoing theft despite having dedicated officers in the region.

Local Administrative Inaction Under Scrutiny

The crackdown has brought local administrative oversight under intense scrutiny. Earlier, the Chhotaudepur district collector had instructed all mamlatdars to take strict action against illegal sand mining and vehicles transporting illicitly mined material.

While taluka-level mamlatdars initially conducted inspections, local actions soon ground to a halt. Officials reportedly stopped detecting sand theft scams and instead began filing routine "all clear" reports. Similarly, although the Chhotaudepur district collector had personally inspected the riverbed on multiple occasions in the past to catch illegal operators, those direct inspections also ceased.

The retreat of local authorities effectively gave sand mafias free rein to resume large-scale extractions. The administrative vacuum forced external intervention, with the Vadodara Flying Squad exposing major sand theft operations in the Orsang River twice within the last 15 days alone. The repeated interventions from outside teams have raised severe doubts over how such massive illegal operations continued unchecked right under the nose of local mineral department officials and taluka authorities.