Sambalpur: Inhabitants of villages in Jujumura tehsil here are having a harrowing time due to the high intensity sounds generated by the illegal blasting in the region’s stone quarries.
Using earthmovers and driller machines, and by carrying out blasts, tonnes of stones are being smuggled from the quarries. The high intensity blasts are giving sleepless nights and distressing days to the villagers.
Locals said the walls of their houses have developed cracks due to the continuous blasts. Tehsil officials have failed to curb the menace, and this has angered the public.
Many stone units are functioning here with impunity violating government norms. The nexus between the revenue officials and contractors is believed to be encouraging the illegal units, sources said.
As per norms, the tehsildars are required to survey local areas, the ecological scenario and human habitations near stone quarries before granting permission to contractors.
The contractors must also get permission from the forest and environment department and village panchayats before exploiting stone quarries. However, such things are very often overlooked by revenue officials.
Sources said that contractors, violating norms, have set up their machinery near human habitations in Bhandar Dunguri, Bada Dunguri, Sana Dunguri, the Gaintha forest and the Ichapal reserve forest.
These forests also have large numbers of valuable trees. The stone mafia is illegally cutting down the trees and smuggling the timber.
“We can feel the tremors caused by the explosions. Our houses have developed cracks, but the administration has ignored our problems,” a local resident said.
“The illegal mining and transportation of stones from quarries in the region have become regular now,” he added.
He said even though the local tehsildar and the in-charge of the police station have been apprised of the matter, they have not taken any action.
The locals demanded that the district administration should check the illegal stone mining by setting up a task force.
PNN