Jajpur: Even as arrest of nine persons by the Crime Branch during a raid at illegal stone quarries and crusher units in Dharmasala here was a setback for the people involved in it, doubts were raised on the likelihood of action against them.
Acting on a direction of the Orissa High court, the economic offences wing (EOW) of the Crime Branch had arrested nine persons and sealed 147 crusher units. Besides, it imposed prohibitory orders on the region.
The CB action triggered widespread panic among offenders as the crusher units between Baghua and Aruha on National Highway-53 look deserted.
Observers claimed the action is an eyewash and will have little impact on the trade as the arrested are petty truck drivers, helpers and contractors while the actual owners managed to escape.
They claimed EOW sleuths failed to nab the actual owners responsible for mushrooming of such units on roadsides.
They even expressed doubts over whether the loss of revenue incurred by state government will ever be proved and officials responsible for it punished. Their said similar raids had been carried out in July last year but several units resumed functioning.
The action came after a division bench of the high court comprising Justices BP Ray and Sangam Kumar Sahoo heard a petition filed by C Shubham of National Law University. The court issued a direction to the Crime Branch in this regard in November last year.
The court directed CB sleuths to raid illegal units in Khurda, Cuttack, Puri and Jajpur districts while asking the state government to file reply on the matter.
The court in its order also asked additional director, mines to file a report on the loss of revenue incurred by the state government due to illegal mining of minor minerals.
When contacted, tehsildar Ranjan Kumar Jena while welcoming the CB raid said his officials are cooperating in the raid. PNN