Khaira: Taking into account, the illegal mining activities going on at Sarisua hill under Khaira tehsil limits in Balasore, newly-joined tehsildar Mahendra Prasad Behera is tightening the screws to stop it.
Behera has started taking proactive measures and he said Sunday that one platoon of police personnel will be employed to curb illegal mining.
Despite imposition of Section 144 in and around the 97 mines at the Sarisua hill, illegal mining has been going on rampantly. The unholy nexus prevalent between some of the temporary staff of Khaira tehsil and lease holders of mines is chiefly responsible for the ongoing illegal activities, the tehsildar said.
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“I had written a letter (No.-1265) April 29 to my departmental higher-ups requesting to provide a platoon of police force for the purpose. Based on my letter, Nilgiri Sub-Collector has asked vide his Office letter (No.-82, Dtd-May 7) to the Balasore Superintendent of Police Sudhansu Sekhar Mishra for the force,” Behera said.
Notably, in 2019, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had ordered the Odisha government to take immediate action to prevent illegal mining. The NGT had also expressed concern as the biodiversity of Sarisua hill was being disturbed. The body said that elephants and other wild animals living in Sarisua hill were facing danger due to illegal mining.
It should be stated here that residents of Guapala, Bageipur, Kadaligadia, Sarata, Ramada, Baunsagadia villages have been asking the district administration to take steps to prevent illegal mining for a very long time.
PNN