Jaleswar: Locals have spotted hundreds of tractors carrying sand from Subarnarekha riverbed in Balasore, reports said.
It is despite the fact that the administration has not leased out the riverbed under Jaleswar block. With lockdown in force, a racket has been actively looting sand from the river, causing huge revenue loss to the state exchequer.
Reports said sand mafia has engaged hundreds of tractors to cart away sand to different places every day. It was alleged that the Revenue department has failed to take action against the sand mafia.
Rampant sand mining will cause erosion of unprotected river banks in these areas, locals lamented.
Sand mafia of Basta area is carrying out such illegal sand mining at riparian areas such as Jamalpur, Rayanramchandrapur, Kotasahi and Gobardhanpur.
Locals of Kadrayana and Amba Kuduchi areas said that inaction by the tehsil administration has encouraged mafia to loot sand every day.
Upset over inaction, villagers have drawn attention of the Collector towards the rampant sand mining.
In a written complaint to the Collector, the villagers pointed out if sand mining was not stopped, flood situation will worsen in this monsoon while river banks have weakened due to sand mining.
It may be noted here that Bengal mafia had been looting sand from the river in some fringe areas. Tension used to prevail in the border areas over Bengal mafia’s routine attempt to plunder sand in Odisha. There have been clashes too in the past. Taking serious note of the illegal sand mining, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had ordered the administrations of Balasore and Bengal to take step for halting sand mining in the river in 2019.
The administration had then carried out raids in the river to curb illegal sand mining.
Now, the local mafia is back in business while the administration is busy fighting the COVID-19.