Jajpur: Blackstone mining on forest land inside Bichhakhandi jungle under Dharmasala tehsil in this district without necessary environmental clearance has sparked resentment among residents and environmentalists alike, a report said.
Residents alleged that mining is illegal on forest land as it destroys the green cover and tells on survival of wild animals in the forest. They claimed that if such mining was not stopped then the day is not far when whole of Dharmasala area will turn into a desert.
They claimed the mining is going on for the last 15 years on forest land (Khata no-389) with support from the district administration which has given a five-year lease to the leaseholders without necessary environmental clearance. The leaseholders were identified as Ajay Agarwall, Sandip Chandak and others.
They claimed that this is in sharp contrast to the call for forest protection and plantation drive announced by state government
The residents had drawn the attention of the divisional forest officer towards this illegal mining on forest land but in vain. Social activist Sarbeshwar Behura even informed the Jenapur police about the illegal mining.
However, the latter did not showed any interest to take action against the miners. Left with no option, the residents are now preparing to move the National Green Tribunal.
Notably, the NGT has been very fair in this regard. Earlier, the NGT hearing a petition on illegal mining on Dankari hill in the district directed the leaseholders to deposit Rs 25 crore with the state government towards interim compensation.
At present, stone smugglers are similarly mining blackstones from Bichhakhandi jungle for the last 15 years.
Sources said Bichhakhandi jungle under Dalijoda forest range and Cuttack forest division is spread over 45 acres.
Earlier, villagers of Bichhakhandi Paikarapur, Raichhanda, Patapur, Kalanda, Endalaba, Rakhideipur, Mala, Raichhanda, Kantapatna had formed a Vana Surakhya Samiti and guarding it on a rotation basis from 1984 till 2007.
However, the jungle which is known for its flora and fauna, has now become a pasture land for the stone smugglers.
The stone smugglers with tacit support of political persons have started extracting blackstones from the forest land over last 15 years without necessary environmental clearance.
When contacted, Dharmasala tehsildar Saroj Kumar Panda said the DFO and SP have been apprised about the mining on forest land.
