Dhanbad Officials Claim Crackdown While Illegal Sand Trade Flourishes

District officials in Dhanbad assert that they are mounting an aggressive campaign against illegal sand mining, storage, and transportation. The Mining Department conducts regular patrols, especially around Telmacho bridge and Bajra ghat, where illegal extraction is most visible. Deputy Commissioner Aditya Ranjan reiterated that the river sand ban is absolute and that any attempt to lift even a few grains of sand will be met with immediate action. He also highlighted a recent raid at the Mathan Dam area, where police, led by a magistrate, stopped a group of sand thieves. Yet, the continued flow of sand trucks onto highways indicates that the black market is still feeding the region's construction boom.