Jajpur: District administration officials Monday swooped down on illegal mines and crusher units on Dankari hills under Dharmasala police limits here.
District Collector accompanied by Superintendent of Police, sub-collector, additional district magistrate and forest officials sealed the stone quarries. Acting on the orders of the National Green Tribunal and Governor Ganeshi Lal, a joint team of Jajpur district administration and police conducted the raids in the presence of officials of Forest and Environment, Mining and Energy department and the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB).
Three platoons of police were deployed while Section 144 of CrPC (prohibitory orders) was clamped in and around Dankari hills to maintain peace during the raids. A Criminal Misc Case (No.47/2018 under Section 144 of CrPC) has been launched against the illegal miners.
While the OSPC had allowed mining in four specific areas of Dankari hills, operators mined at a number of places. In an order issued Monday, Jajpur Collector and District Magistrate has mentioned that, “Some miscreants are illegally extracting minor minerals in violation of the provisions under OMMC Rules, 2004. Illegal quarrying operation is going on without permission from the Competent Authority for which there is apprehension of serious breach of peace in the locality and it may lead to bloodshed and loss of human life.”
The Collector’s order states that “I do hereby order U/S 144 of CrPC and prohibit not to enter the land and not to extract/remove/lift/dig/transport minor minerals from the said land until further orders.”
A copy has also been forwarded to Dharmasala Police Station IIC and he has been directed to serve the order in the locality to observe all formalities within seven days. RI Dankari was also directed to identify the suit land at the time of promulgation with the assistance of beat of drums.
In addition to the raids, the officials verified the documents of the crusher units. It may be noted that an RTI activist had filed a petition with the NGT against illegal mining a few months back. The activist had also met Governor Ganeshi Lal at Raj Bhawan on the issue September 7.
It may be pertinent to mention here that the Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry has planned an underground oil reservoir project in Dankari Hills forest area. Inordinate delay has been caused in acquiring land for the project to be set up on an area of 400 acres at an estimated cost of Rs 4,000 crore.
PNN