Jajpur: The unholy nexuses existing between some influential mining companies and local political leaders in Odisha have allegedly been catalytic for rampant illegal mining of the minerals in as many as 16 districts of the state, a source said Thursday.
In a sense, there is an undeclared rat race for the illegal activity and prevalent government norms in this regard have gone for a toss.
The districts where limited steps are being taken against smugglers of minor minerals include Jajpur, Bolangir, Bhadrak, Bargarh, Boudh, Deogarh, Dhenkanal, Gajapati, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Keonjhar, Khurda, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur and Nuapada.
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This means that mafias escape legal action in the districts which are mineral-rich with the administration in limbo and the mafias get indirect protection in carrying out their illegal mining activity.
The fact was also reflected in recent reply given by state Revenue and Disaster Management department Minister Sudam Marndi in Odisha Legislative Assembly during its Budget Session, while answering to a question raised by Rairangpur BJP MLA Naba Charan Majhi.
According to a source, penalty to the tune of around Rs 19,86,50,543 was collected in remaining 14 districts of the state in between the FY 2015-16 to FY 2021-22 towards illegal mining of minor minerals, loot beyond the accorded quantity, transportation and sale of the minerals sans government prescribed transit form.
During the aforesaid period, a maximum of Rs 6,10,00,562 as penalty was collected in Balasore district alone, which amounts to about 30.70 per cent of the total collection in the state.
Taking into account the minor minerals smuggled in nearly last two decades, the minerals will no more be available for future generations if the trend persists, some intelligentsia opined.
Illegal mining from Dankari hill in Jajpur district is a good example of indifference of the district administration to curb it. The administration has moved Supreme Court against previous order of National Green Tribunal (NGT) to collect a penalty of Rs 25 crore from lessee.
Similarly, a case pertaining to loot beyond the accorded quantity on Aruha hill of Jajpur is still sub-judice before Odisha Lokayukta.
At least eight government officials were accused for their involvement in the illegal quarrying of black stones under Dharmasala tehsil, following a probe conducted by the Director of Inquiry, Lokayukta.
Instead of taking stringent actions against the minor mineral mafias, the administrations concerned have been indirectly supporting them. “As a result, the state government is losing revenue worth crores of rupees every year,” the intelligentsia added.
It is pertinent to mention, Odisha Lokayukta earlier invited views from the Minister Sudam Marndi relating to few other irregularities including alleged illegal mining of Blackstone on Aruha hill.
Lokayukta had emphasised during previous hearing of a case over the alleged loot of Blackstone February 25 that the views be submitted on or before the next date of hearing fixed for March 8 this year.
In addition, the name of erstwhile Geology Department Joint Director, Zonal Survey in Dhenkanal Amiya Kumar Rout, who is also a party to the case, was wrongly mentioned in the primary probe report, the Lokayukta’s official communique had stated.
The former joint director’s actual name is Anup Kumar Rout and he has already been given superannuation. His residential address is Plot No-20 of Lane-5, Durgamadhab Nagar in Bhubaneswar. The retired government official must be issued a notice accordingly to remain present during the hearing, the Lokayukta order had mentioned.
Lokayukta had ordered erstwhile Jajpur Collector, four tehsildars of Dharmasala and three RIs of Aruha circle, including the lessee Trinath Jena in November 26 last year to submit their clarifications.
The RI of Aruha Circle-I had then prepared a wrong sketch map of the leased area covering 6 acre and 80 decimal. The sketch map was subsequently certified by former Dharmasala tehsildar and he had ordered Geologist Gautam Sahu to prepare a detailed mining plan.
Detailed mining plan was, in turn, approved by the joint director Rout. For which, Rout was also earlier ordered to submit his explanation.
PNN
