Jajpur: The illegal extraction of black stones from various quarries under Dharmasala tehsil area in Jajpur district continues unabated as the tehsil officials are yet to act tough against the illegal miners. Notably, the Orissa High Court had issued an order to the tehsil officials to take necessary action against the illegal miners while hearing a public interest litigation (WPC Case No-40053) on the issue. However, what is surprising is that the tehsil officials have shown little interest in implementing the order. The district minor minerals department also wrote to Dharmasala tehsildar urging him to take necessary actions in implementing the high court order.
On the other hand, the steps taken by Dharmasala tehsil authorities such as satellite mapping of the quarries and linking the leaseholders with the respective crusher units have been quite disappointing. This has only emboldened the accused leaseholders to plunder over Rs 50 lakh worth of black stones from six quarries of the Dankari hill with impunity. It is alleged that they are still extracting the black stones illegally from the quarries and transporting them to nearby crusher units. Fearing that their illegalities will be exposed if satellite mapping is conducted, leaseholders of 17, 1/4 and 3/9 quarries of the Dankari hill are illegally extracting black stones from the nearby non-leased quarries and those that have been leased out to a firm namely Lakshmi Exports.
Taking offence of theft, the owner of Lakshmi Exports filed a case in the Orissa High Court against Prasant Kumar Jena, Jyotsna Rani Jena, and Niranjan Rout, the director of a mineral firm PJ Minerals. According to the complaint, the tehsil authorities had leased out quarry no-18 to Lakshmi Exports and signed an agreement in this regard.
However, some influential persons in the area are not allowing Lakshmi Exports to extract black stones from the quarry. The accused persons are rather extracting black stones from the quarry with the use of force and earning a premium from its sale. The high court heard the matter and directed the tehsil authorities to conduct a probe into the allegations and complete it within eight weeks, December 15, 2023.
Meanwhile, the month of January is nearing its end but the mining and tehsil authorities are yet to act on the order. It might take around two months to complete the satellite mapping, linking of the crusher units with the leaseholders, and investigations into the illegalities. However, if the tehsil authority goes on buying time then the illegal extraction of minerals will increase manifold. This will make the influential leaseholders richer while draining the state exchequer of precious revenue. Locals alleged that the tehsil officials are buying time as per a secret discussion held between them and the illegal miners, crusher unit owners and the mining authorities.
Moreover, the government officials are hand in gloves with the miscreants and are trying to protect them in exchange of kickbacks, they alleged. Locals also alleged that A-1, Maa, PRPL, Sherabali, Jain, Maa Chandi crusher units near the illegal units of Dankari hill have excess black stones than the permissible limits. The tehsil officials could seize black stone worth crore if a raid took place in these stone quarries, they said. Moreover, a large volume of black stones has also been stolen from Rahadpur, Lunibar, Baraman, Barada, Bajabati, Aruha, and Bichhakhandi hills in the district. When contacted, Jayprakash Nayak, deputy director of district minor mineral department said a letter in this regard has been sent to Dharmasala tehsildar as per the high court order. The tehsildar has assured to take early steps while Nayak also assured to take steps and legal action soon in this regard.