Post News Network
Joda, Jan 28: Amid reports of clandestine mining activities, a 9-member state level enforcement squad Wednesday visited various remote parts of Joda mining circle in Keonjhar, including the places where illegal mining sporadically takes place.
Sources said the squad inspected illegally excavated pits that had occurred in 2013-14. Most of these places belong to reserve forest areas.
They visited places at Kundurupani, Chormalda and Siddhamatha reserve forests. The team is led by forest officer SK Rath.
In the recent past, police and mines officials seized minerals while they were being transported. Drivers are caught, but the real masterminds of the mineral loots go scot free, locals said.
However, SP Kabita Jalan says police are keeping a strict vigil on illegal quarrying and transportation. A directive has been issued to all the police stations to take measures to prevent illegal mining and keep track of mineral transportation.
Surprisingly, despite such measures, illegal mining has not stopped even as police, forest department officials, district level task force and state level enforcement squad claim they regularly inspect in mines areas.
Sources said illegal mining activities still go on in Roida area of Siddhamatha, Kundurupani, Chormalda, Keth Hutting, the areas behind the government hospital in Joda, Khuntupani slum, Gurubeda, Sargitalia, Khandabandh-Guruda area and Palasa near Bamebari police station.
Illegal mining also takes place in other areas like Thakurani reserve forest under Barbil range, Karo reserve forest and Tankura forest sharing borders with Jharkhand. Sources added minerals are transported to various parts of Jharkhand, causing a daily loss of Rs 5 lakh to the government exchequer. Mines mafia engages local people in digging activities in remote areas by paying low wages. Locals said enforcement agencies do not visit the newly mined areas, where illegal mining takes place.