Post News Network
Chandbali, May 21: Despite a Supreme Court ruling on checking illegal sand-lifting from riverbeds across the country, mafia groups are carrying on the trade with impunity in rivers Baitarani and Salandi near the town under the very nose of the administration.
Approximately 50 to 60 boatloads of sand are ferried by sand mafia to riparian places like Kaudia, Dhankhania, Thokra Mahara and Garipur Ghat. Sand is also illegally lifted from several other places including Bhuinbruitjora, Gopalpur Mahara, Gunthala ghat, Aradi, Muan, Sitalpur, Palatpur, Pokharisahi and Nayadhamara on a regular basis. From these places, sand is transported to other places through tractors.
However, due to such flourishing illegal sand-lifting, the government has been losing crores of rupees annually. It is said the riverbeds at these places have not yet been auctioned this year. Taking advantage of this, sand mafia groups have been making a fast buck from the illegal trade.
Though the administration conducts raids, seizes boats and tractors and imposes penalty at times, it has not yet been able to effectively check the illegal business.
The administration could not put the ‘sand ghats’ in the two rivers on auction before end of the timeline for this year. The administration fixed three dates for auction of the ghats, but none evinced interest to participate in the bidding process. But, mafia groups have been lifting sand from Baitarani, evading royalty to the government. A few sand-lifters are reportedly transporting sand to places in neighbouring Kendrapara district.
As for the growing illegal business, tehsildar Chittaranjan Sahu admitted that this problem has cropped up as the ghats could not be auctioned till date. Revenue inspectors have been directed to nab the sand-lifters while a team has been constituted to keep tab on the illegal activity, he added.
A vast stretch of sand bed is spread over 73 acre from Muan to Sundarpur while another 30 acre is sprawling from Badaharipur to Kaudiapal along river Baitarani.
For the last few years, the tehsil has been generating revenue from this nature’s bounty. Towards auction of sand ghats, the teshil had generated Rs 7.67 lakh in 2009-10 which increased to Rs 8.50 lakh in 2010-11, but fell to Rs 6.01 lakh in 2011-12. However, in 2012-13, the revenue shot up to Rs 8.51 lakh and touched Rs 9.98 lakh in 2014-15. If the amount of security deposits, VAT and other things are taken into account, it will be more than Rs 13 lakh.
This year, the administration has planned to put the sand ghats on auction for five years and expected to raise over Rs 50 lakh. Though three dates have elapsed, no one has participated in the auction. It is alleged that some sand mafia groups have formed a cartel and decided not to take part in the auction.
If sources are to be believed, over 500 families of riparian villages are into such sand business and carrying sand on water route with boats to evade the glare of the administration. Sand is unloaded from boats at convenient places along the river and from there, it is carried by tractors.
As concrete roads, buildings and other infrastructure projects are being taken up under various schemes like Indira Awas Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Grama Sadak Yojana and Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana, the demand for sand has been high.
Earlier, people here used depend on sand ghats at Sathipur and Akhuapada, about 80 km away. But the scenario has changed as people have been carrying sand on river route and land route from Chandbali.
The illegal business has provided earning opportunity for a large number of people in the locality. As the demand for sand is increasing, mafia groups in collusion with tehsil officials are allegedly carrying out the trade.
Another problem is that boundary limits of Kendrapara and Bhadrak at Kanpur and Muan have not been determined. As a result, the administration loses revenue from the sand being quarried.