Jajpur: Illegal sand quarrying activities go on rampantly under Sukinda tehsil of Jajpur as huge quantity of sand is required for filling an ongoing excavation work, a source said Thursday.
Some unscrupulous tehsil officials have also joined hands with local mafia in the illegal activity. Heaps of sands are being seen in Kaliapani mines area on a number of lands owned by state Forest department and Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC), many locals alleged.
According to a source, equivalent quantity of sands is being filled in the chromite mines here. The mafias manage to transport sands either by using fabricated transit pass (TP) or without a valid document.
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Allegedly, Hyva carriers are also being used to transport sands from Brahmani riverbed under Bhuban tehsil of Dhenkanal district every day. Mafias pay royalty once in a day and manage the subsequent trips without making any payment.
Even as there are guidelines to take heavy vehicles from Bhuban main road to the mines passing through Mangalpur, local mafias conveniently use the rural roads for illegal transportation of sand.
On being contacted, Sukinda tehsildar Kaberi Muduli said, “I have no information about any such illegal sand depot. Certainly, I will take immediate steps, if any complaint is made in this regard.”
PNN