Joda/Keonjhar: The forest department has again caught illegal mineral being smuggled from Silajoda forest under Bamebari section of Keonjhar Tuesday.
It is alleged that such illegal activities have not been curbed in Joda mining circle despite repeated crackdowns on mineral mafia by forest, police and mines officials.
According to forester Jatindra Pal, forest officials received tip-off about illegal manganese smuggling in Silajoda area at 1 am Tuesday.
Thereafter, the officials raided the area and seized a dumper with manganese worth about Rs 2 lakh. However, the mineral mafia managed to flee in the darkness.
The manganese weighed about 8 tonnes. In the last one week, the forest officials and police have seized over a dozen of heavy vehicles carrying illegal minerals in the Joda mining circle.
March 30, police had seized huge quantities of iron ore loaded in five trucks at Jagdala under Bamebari police limits and another truck at Jurudi. Six people were arrested. There are several instances of seizures of minerals in various parts of Keonjhar in the last two months.
In most cases police and forest officials have caught such illegal activities while the mines department fails to cub such things despite having its task forces at the district and the state level.
PNN
