Paradip, Aug. 8: The state government has accused the Paradip Port Trust of impropriety for lifting sand from a small patch of land formed by tidal movements near sea coast.
The state government authorities have stopped the sand-lifting operation from the accreted land on the ground that it infringes the rules framed under the Coastal Regulation Zone Act.
The port trust has been served with a show cause notice and asked to clarify its stand on the alleged violation.
The major port, which incidentally pays royalty to the state government for sand-lifting, also faces accusation of commercial use of sand particles, a move that disregards an official agreement reached between the government and the port.
“Four heavy vehicles engaged in sand-lifting have been seized. The operation was being done unlawfully. Penalties were imposed for such illegal activity,” said Kujang tehsildar Rabindranath Kanhra.
“On finding that the port trust was dredging out sand from near the beach, the administration stopped such illegal act. The place, where the dredging took place, fell within the regulation zone limits. Such operation is prohibited in the earmarked zone. We have sought clarification from the port trust officials on the alleged act of impropriety,” said Paradip additional district magistrate Surajit Das.
The provisions for the regulation zone prohibit activities such as sand-lifting or sand-dredging on the coastal stretches of sea, bays, estuaries, creeks, rivers and backwaters, which are influenced by tidal action (towards the landward direction) up to 500 metres from the high tide line.