A few days before six members of the environment committee quit, they had made proposals to standardize guidelines for mining and quarrying, before they get environment clearance.

A woman and her three children have been staging a protest in front of the Collectorate here since July 11 demanding action against illegal extraction of beach sand from near her home at Puthiyanga

The Alirajpur district administration raided two illegal sand storage and refining plants near MP-Gujarat border on Wednesday, and seized premium quality sand bound for Mumbai and other parts of Ma

The district administration is gearing up to crack the whip on illegal sand mining, in the light of reports that the menace had led to the Malaprabha river changing its course.

The task force to curb illegal mining had found it difficult to rein in those extracting sand illegally as they had the tacit support of local politicians and the police. There have been instances of officials trying to put an end to the illegality being issued death threats.