Jajpur: Illegal stone quarries and stone blasting areas in Maulabhanja and Balarampur reserve forests under Dalijoda forest area under Cuttack forest division in Jajpur district have literally become death traps.
With the administration yet to wake up from hibernation, six labourers have lost their lives. Labourers working in hazardous condition are either crushed to death or died due to blasts during extraction of stones in the quarry.
However, the administration has failed to act against errant quarry owners or stone traders. Most of them bribe local politicos. Surprisingly, no probe has been conducted in this connection.
Most of the deaths are termed unnatural and the cases are shut by the police. The deaths of labourers in most cases are hushed up under the garb of accidents.
In a glaring example, Dharanidhar Tarei of Arimul village was crushed to death under a rock on October 24, 2016 leaving behind his elderly father Narayan and Mother Bauli Tarei.
He was the only source of income for his family and worked at a stone quarry to eke out a living. His death has become a long nightmare for his elderly parents.
Gunanidhi Mallick of Barkana village was killed in a stone quarry at Balrampur reserve forest October 25, 2016. His 25-year-old wife Minati was widowed at an early age and his five-year-old daughter Anjali orphaned. The impact of Gunanidhi’s death left Minati with shock and she is wandering around losing her mental balance. The incident has brought to an end Anjali’s studies.
In another incident, Ajay Samal (35) of Potua village under Dharmasala block, died during a stone blast December 23, 2016 leaving behind his two minor children. The administration has not taken any steps to help the bereaved families.
Rajeev Ghadei of Cheliapada village was crushed to death after a suspending rock rolled over him during a stone blast January 13, 2017. Rajeev has left behind his wife and two minor daughters.
Bataul Mallick, a 50-year-old labourer, was killed January 29 and he has left behind a daughter and two sons. Moreover, there is no one in the family to take care of the girl’s marriage.
The bereaved families run from pillar to post for justice. Even a little compensation from the administration would make a difference to their lives, pleaded the bereaved families. PNN
