Jhumpura: Even as locals allege minor minerals are being looted from various parts under six revenue circles in Jhumpura block of Keonjhar district, a fly ash brick manufacturing factory has reportedly come up on forest land against which neither the forest nor the revenue department has taken any action.
Besides mineral loot, land grabbing in several areas is increasing while illegalities in land sale and purchase have left people angry. People accused the tehsil officials of doing nothing to check such illegalities.
Locals have strongly objected to the fly ash factory operating in Ukhunda village forest and government land. The owner of Krishna stone crushing unit has reportedly set up the factory.
As a result, valuable sal trees are being damaged. That apart, dust particles from stone crushing units and fly ash dumps fly about in the area. Farmers say their farmlands are being affected by fly ash, which has enveloped the land.
Locals said an influential person is behind the unit, and uses his influence to scuttle any action against him. Locals feel lodging complaints against him will be of no use.
Orissa Post and Oriya daily Dharitri had reported about the land-grabbing and pollution caused by the crushing unit in their January 13 and 12 editions respectively.
Acting on the media reports, DFO Rohit Kumar Lenka had directed Champua ranger Srirampada Arabinda Mishra to submit a report about the issue.
Later, the secretary of the Board of Revenue, Bhubaneswar, had asked the district collector to submit a report about the stone crushing unit. The Champua ranger submitted the report about illegalities in the crushing unit to the DFO Mach 4, 2016.
Locals claim despite all this, no action is being taken against the stone crushing unit and fly-ash brick factory. They suspected the role of the Ukhunda RI in shielding the crusher owner.
Contacted, Jhumpura tehsildar Shiba Toppo, said the allegations about the fly-ash brick manufacturing factory will be probed. PNN
