Illegal excavation of soil by Lavasa Corporation: Reports

Two Pune district administration officials have submitted reports confirming that Lavasa Corporation carried out illegal excavation of soil. The reports were in response to an inquiry ordered by the then district collector, Chandrakant Dalvi, last month.

The tehsildar of Mulshi, Bhausaheb Jadhav, on Wednesday submitted his report confirming illegal excavation in the villages of Mugoan and Daswane by Lavasa Corporation. Jadhav said over six lakh brass of soil had been excavated by the corporation.

The executive engineer of Pune zilla parishad (ZP) stated that Lavasa Corporation had undertaken illegal mining of 2,31,663 cubic metres of soil for laying four roads: Pune-Daswane, Daswane-Bhuini-Mugaon, Tamhini-Mugaon and Damanohal-Ghatle roads.

Dalvi had ordered an inquiry into the extent of excavation of minor minerals carried out by Lavasa Corporation without prior permission of the district collectorate in February.

Under the Bombay Minor Mining Extraction Rules, 1955, and Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966, the state government has control over mining minerals like earth, stones and sand, and prior permission is necessary for excavation.

The inquiry was to be carried out separately by four officials. While the Mulshi tehsildar and the executive engineer of Pune ZP have submitted their reports, the irrigation department and the public works department are yet to do so.

Sanjay Bamane, the district mining officer, said the fine imposed is three times the market price of the soil excavated. He said that after all four reports are submitted, a collective fine will be imposed on Lavasa Corporation.

DNA had sent a written communique to Lavasa Corporation on March 16, seeking its views on the reports submitted by the Mulshi tehsildar and executive engineer of the Pune ZP. However, it has not responded so far.