Sajanagarh: Amid allegations of rampant stone mining in Nilagiri area of Balasore, the administration conducted raids on seven stone crushing units in the area Friday.
Reports said seven stone crushing units were raided by a team of officials comprising Nilagiri sub-collector Harish Chandra Jena, tehsildar Sushrita Tudu, additional tehsildar Rakesh Kumar Panda and officials of the pollution control board.
They checked stock of raw material and documents of the stone crushing units. The officials raided two stone crushing units at Mitrapur, three at Kathagochhi and two at Machhua.
The administration has served show cause notices on these stone crushing units. It was learnt that the administration will impose penalty on these units soon.
The raid has come in the wake of allegations that these stone crushing units are dependent on illegal stone mining in the area.
Mafia has allegedly been clearing trees and carrying out stone mining near Kuladiha sanctuary under Nilagiri forest subdivision, a report said.
“Forest officials and stone mafia have formed an unholy nexus pushing the illegal stone quarrying, thus posing threat to the wildlife. Local people have apprised the authorities about illegal stone mining, but no tangible results were found,” lamented locals.
Locals pointed out that entry to the sanctuary is banned, but shockingly mafia have laid a road by cutting trees inside the sanctuary and transport illegally excavated stone out of it every day.
Notably, the state government had closed down all stone quarries in 2010 inside the sanctuary following a directive from the NGT.
A few days ago, in a major crackdown on illegal stone mining, Khaira tehsildar Pradip Kumar Sahu imposed prohibitory orders under section 144 on 10 stone mines at Sarisua hill. The stone mining was being carried out at 10 places belonging to Khata-245 and plot-520.