Keonjhar: Despite raids and seizure of illegally minerals, there is no let up in such illegal activities in various parts of Keonjhar district. Now, forest department and police are seen actively catching most of illegal mining cases while the mines department seems to have lowered its guard, a report said.
According to reports, there are several cases of seizure of illegally mined minerals in last several weeks in various parts of the district. Once again, the forest officials seized two trucks loaded with high grade iron ore and an excavator inside a forest near Rakam village (Khandadhar hill) under Bansapal block Saturday.
Kushala forest guard Bulu Nayak had got a tip-off about a vehicle transporting illegal timbers last night.
At this time, a truck carrying illegally mined iron ore was passing by on the route. Though he was alone, he mustered courage and intercepted the vehicle. Then, he informed the matter to his higher-ups.
Following a directive from DFO Swayam Mallick, a team of forest officials from Bhuyan-Juanga Pidhi Range, Sadar range and Champua range led by ACF Ajay Kumar Sahu swaung into action and raided the area near Khandadhar hill and seized the two vehicles and a pay loader machine in the presence of Nayakote police.
However, mineral mafia managed to escape in the dark.
Locals sought to know how mines department failed to know of illegal mineral mining and transportation in the forest where as forest officials have to detect such cases.
A preliminary investigation found that mafia had been supplying illegally mined iron ore to different lump ore crushing units in Sundargarh. Bit it has not been ascertained that since how long this illegal act had been going on in the deep forest.
It was learnt that mafia had engaged some local people on daily wages and used to excavate iron ore by triggering explosion with dynamite. They used to load the mineral with a pay loader.
The trucks and the excavator have been kept on the premises of Juanga-Bhuyan Pidhi range office.
The forest department has started an investigation into who are involved in this illegal act.
Local experts observed that a big racket is active in the area, pushing illegal mining. If the matter is properly investigated, many influential people will be exposed, they said.
They alleged that mineral mafia has been carrying out their business by greasing pals of some corrupt officials.
In first week of January, illegal mining was detected in a bushy area, just 500 metre from the office of the Joda police station. Officials had seized manganese worth over Rs 1 lakh. The illegally mined manganese weighing over 10 tonnes was covered under palm leaves amid bushes.
January 12, a team of forest officials from Champua, Joda, Balibandh and Bamebari conducted night patrolling night when they caught the truck carrying 35 tonnes of high grade iron ore.
January 24, a team of mines officials seized over 50 tones of iron finesse stocked at Serenda under Barbil police limits. Mines officials had got a tip-off about stocked mineral along a road near OMC Colony. Officials seized the mineral valued at Rs 1.5 lakh.
Earlier, mines officials had seized 30 tonnes of illegally extracted iron ore at Antaramantara Chak under Bamebari police limits of Joda mining circle.
PNN