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Confiscated sand and timber for places of worship and state bodies
View(s):Sand and timber confiscated by courts are to be released to places of religious worship and government institutions at concessionary rates, the Justice Ministry has decided. The ministry in a circular has informed High Court judges and magistrates that this directive is in terms of a Cabinet decision.
In the case of confiscated sand, release is required to be undertaken by the relevant court itself while the State Timber Corporation (CTC) is entrusted with the release of confiscated timber through its regional centres once it receives the stocks. Hence the courts have been informed to make prompt arrangement to deliver the stock of timber to the STC immediately upon confiscation.
Requests from the places of religious worship for sand and timber would have to be submitted along with the recommendation of the respective Divisional Secretary to the Ministry in charge of the subject of Religious Affairs which should thereafter refer such requests along with its recommendation to the Ministry of Justice.
Where there are requests from the government institutions for sand and timber, the relevant Head of the Department is required to submit such requests with his recommendation to the line Ministry which should thereafter refer such requests along with its recommendation to the Ministry of Justice for its approval.
This programme will continue till December 31 this year. The confiscated sand is required to be released at a concessionary rate of Rs.2,500 a cube in the Western Province and Rs.1, 500 in other provinces.Confiscated timber is required to be released at a concessionary rate to be decided by the STC by deducting 50 percent from the district committee ruling price.
The maximum limit to be released per place of religious worship or a government institution is as 10 cubes for sand and 1000 cubic feet for timber. Each cube of sand and each cubic foot of timber to be purchased exceeding the maximum limit are required to be released at the assessed rate.
Confiscated sand and timber made available after December 31 this year will be sold by public auction once in three months. It will be auctioned by the relevant court in case of sand and the STC in case of timber.