Sonepur: With elections in Odisha on the threshold, all political parties are in need of funds. This has paved the way for rise in illegal mining and smuggling of quartz stones in localities under Birmaharajpur tehsil in Subarnapur district, sources informed here Wednesday. Money acquired from such nefarious deals is being used by leaders of a number of political parties to fund their campaigns, the sources alleged. According to the information available, the stones are being extracted from quarries belonging to the Odisha government. Then they are being smuggled outside the state at high rates. In the process, the government is losing out on huge amount of revenues, the sources said. A well-oiled influential racket is allegedly working behind the loot in connivance with the political leaders and officials of the district administration, the sources added.
Locals also pointed out that the involvement of the officials of the Revenue department and the police in this illegal process cannot be ruled out. The absence of a proper office of the Mining department in the district is another cause behind the rampant increase in illegal mining. The nearest office of the department is in Bolangir, where a deputy director sits. If regular raids had been conducted in the various stockyards in Birmaharajpur tehsil, the rampant looting of quartz stones would have been exposed, they said. Describing the modus operandi, a person on condition of anonymity said that quartz stones are lifted from the quarries and stored in a number of stockyards. Then they are transported to various industries outside Odisha. The person pointed out that the transportation of quartz stones in trucks wouldn’t have been possible without police help. It should be stated here that quartz granules are used to develop slag in blast furnaces in steelmaking units. They also act as a protective cover on steel gutters. Sources said the Mining department has leased out the quarries in Dadarpali and Bankia villages under Birmaharajpur tehsil.
However, the leaseholders are not extracting quartz stones from these two quarries. Instead, they are concentrating on the extraction of the stones from the non-leased quarries at Telipali, Kardapal, Ludumunda, Barajhula and Pardiapali villages. This is because they are getting the stones free of cost. Residents are shocked at the district administration’s apathy in taking proper measures to prevent this rampant loot. When contacted, Birmaharajpur sub-collector Lalatendu See informed that it is the duty of the Mining department to conduct raids as his office does not have the required authority. He, however, assured that he would look into the matter and initiate a probe if there is anything amiss.
