Keonjhar: The administration has decided to form a special squad at the sub-divisional level to check mining and transportation of illegally extracted minerals, stone, murram and sand in various parts of the district.
The initiative follows allegations that unauthorised mining is causing damage to greenery and loss of revenue to the government. Though complaints had been filed with the administration and departments concerned about illegal mining of minerals no action was taken. Upset over the official apathy, people had knocked at the doors of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and courts.
Though the mines department has formed enforcement squads, illegal mining and mineral transportation have been going on unabated. The collector has issued an order (246/10-6-2019) to all sub-collectors and tehsildars for formation of a special squad which will keep a watch on legal and illegal mining. The squad will submit a report to the administration within 10 days.
Tehsildar will be convener of the special squad in his/her respective area.
The squad will carry out raids with the help of ACF/range officer (forest department), mining inspector/mining officer/mining supervisor (mines department) executive engineer/assistant engineer (water resources department) and IIC/IOC (police department), according to the details of the order.
Recently, public anger has mounted when three labourers were crushed to death at an illegal murram mine at Tulashichoura.
The administration took a serious note of another incident in Ghatagaon area. An agency was running an illegal mine to feed its stone crushing unit. The Ghatagaon tehsil had imposed a fine of Rs 2 crore on it. But the fine has not been recovered.
In another incident, sand mafia had forcibly taken away a vehicle which was seized by the tehsildar at Patna. The sand mafia had also attacked some social activists present there.
Many stone crushing units are running in Ghatagaon, Telkoi and Bansapal blocks which are also carrying out illegal stone mining.
Gopalpur, Kansa and Kanjipani areas have lost much of their greenery due to illegal stone mining which has also threatened wildlife.
It is believed that the administration has thought of setting up a special squad after a rap by the NGT and courts in some cases.