Jaleswar: Acting on the directions of Balasore District Collector Ramesh Chandra Rout, tehsil officials conducted raids and seized a JCB machine and seven tractors that were used for illegal smuggling of sand from Subarnarekha river.
The District Collector has directed officials to impose penalty on the smugglers. According to sources, sand smugglers from Sikharpur, Agarwalachak, Degadia, Padiaripur and Panchughanta take sand from Subarnarekha river and sell it at a premium. On a daily basis, huge quantity of sand is smuggled using trucks and tractors to neighbouring states. After repeated complaints by locals, the raid was conducted.
PNN