Balasore: Kuladiha sanctuary, home to a variety of rare birds, reptiles and animals, is losing its greenery due to rampant stone mining by the local mafia, a report said.
Laterite stone is being mined with impunity in the sanctuary on a daily basis under the nose of the administration and forest department.
On the other hand, the government is losing revenue worth crores of rupees owing to the illegal activity.
Trees are being felled to pave way for laterite and granite quarrying. The famous Swarnchuda hill is increasingly losing its existence due to the stone mining. Locals, environmentalists and wildlife activists voiced their concern over the increasing threat to the hill, accusing the forest and revenue departments of doing nothing to check the illegal activity.
According to reports, over a hundred quarries are being operated inside the sanctuary while many stone crushing units are illegally supplying granite stones from the sanctuary.
The mafia has now set its sight on quarrying laterite stone and murram in the tribal-dominated hill-locked Mankidia and Sajanagad areas where large swathes of greenery have been cleared for mining.
When all such illegal activities are taking place in broad daylight, the forest and revenue departments pretend to be not aware of this fact, raising many eyebrows.
Just two km away from Sajanagad, another stone quarry is operating inside Bhalukasuni Tinikosia reserve forest.
Sources said the mafia has engaged power tillers to hew laterite stone and rake in the moolah by supplying the mineral on a large scale to various parts of the state and even outside. Each block of laterite is sold for `25.
The expanding stone quarry at Mankidia has left an adverse impact on the ecology with a number of trees being felled on a daily basis.
Nilagiri forest ranger Rabinarayan Mohanty said he was not aware of the illegal mining near Kuladiha. “Necessary action will be taken after an investigation,” he said.
Stone mafia has also been carrying out illegal mining at other parts of Nilagiiri, Soro, Khaira and Oupada in Balasore district amid allegations that forest and revenue officials allow the loot of the natural wealth by taking bribe from mafia.
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