Jajpur: Panic gripped the stone mafia that has been illegally extracting granite from Dankari mines under Dharmasala tehsil over the years as a special committee, following a case registered with National Green Tribunal, would probe the alleged irregularities Friday.
Many mines owner have stopped extraction as the news of high level enquiry spread in the area. Meanwhile, just one crusher unit was seen operating and this could affect the investigation process, suspected the complainant.
On the other hand, it is believed that stone mafia in collusion with some political leaders and a few administrative officials are hatching a conspiracy to fail the proposed Union cabinet-approved underground oil reservoir project.
The stone traders have reportedly formed an organisation to oppose this Central government sponsored project.
As the case was regularly highlighted by Orissa POST, social activist Sarbeswar Behura moved the National Green Tribunal.
Behura made the Union environment ministry, chief secretary of the state, state forest and environment department and Jajpur Collector parties in the case.
A division bench of NGT comprising justice Adarsh Kumar Goyal, justice Jawad Rahim, justice P Wangdi and N Nanda heard the petition September 4. The NGT asked the Chief Secretary to form a special committee and submit a report within a month following a probe.
Accordingly, a special squad of State Environment Impact Assessment Committee will visit Dankari October 5. Senior scientist Debashis Roy, Collector Ranjan Kumar Das, divisional forest officer Sudarshan Panigrahi and Odisha State Pollution Control Board regional officer Hadibandhu Panigrahi are said to be the member of the high level committee.
PNN
