Tonk : CBI has taken action against illegal gravel mining at Dhandholi gravel check post of Duni police station area on National Highway 52 in Tonk district. CBI took this action at the check post of MRS Associate Group. This case is believed to be related to gravel king Meghraj Singh Royal. Even before this action, the rules have been flouted many times regarding gravel mining in the Banas river of the district. Regarding this, the Supreme Court had banned gravel mining in 2018.
Who is Meghraj Singh Royal?
This time again the matter of illegal gravel mining has heated up in which the name of Rajasthan’s biggest hotel businessman Meghraj Singh Royal has come to the fore. He is a resident of Khandela in Sikar. His in-laws are in Chindaliya village of Nagaur. He had set up MRS Group of Companies with an investment of Rs 1400 crore. Which has expanded to every corner of the state today. Meghraj Singh, the owner of property worth crores, has cordial relations with both BJP and Congress. Meghraj Singh Shekhawat is known as Meghraj Singh Royal on social media, in the Rajput society he is also given the name of Bhamashah. Four months ago, ED had raided his hideouts. In which, by raiding his different hideouts including Jaipur, cash worth more than 35 lakhs was seized.
In 2018, the Supreme Court had banned gravel mining
In view of the continuous erosion in the Banas river, the people there had filed a petition in the court regarding illegal gravel mining, after which the Supreme Court banned gravel mining in Rajasthan on 16 November 2017. After this, on 31 March 2018, all LOIs for gravel mining were terminated after the completion of the stipulated period. After this, gravel mining remained banned for 4 years. On 11 November 2021, the Supreme Court lifted the ban on gravel mining in Rajasthan, but even after that legal gravel mining has not started. In such a situation, due to non-availability of gravel, people are having to transport gravel illegally and from outside districts at double-triple the price.
