Keonjhar: Illegal murram and stone quarrying around a natural scenic spot like Bhalughar under Dimbo panchayat limits in Keonjhar district is laying waste to the natural beauty of the spot, say locals, adding that the site will lose its tourist appeal if such illegal activities are allowed to happpen.
Though the place has a lot of tourism potential, it has not been granted tourist place status by the government. But locals are trying their best to develop the site as a tourist place.
They also said unauthorised mining has been taking a heavy toll on the environment and ruining forest and green cover in the area. Though all this is happening under the nose of the administration, forest and revenue department officials are sitting pretty instead of taking action against the mafia.
Locals and environmentalists expressed displeasure over such illegal activities, which are reportedly going on at a distance of hardly 7 km from the district tehsil headquarters.
“As the administration has chosen to look the other way, a number of huge craters have been created in the area, creating deathtraps for motorists as well as animals,” aggrieved locals said.
Besides, transportation of tonnes of mural and stone from the area is causing huge loss of revenue for the government every year, they lamented.
“The murram is used in the road construction while stone is transported to nearby stone-crushing units. But neither the forest department nor the revenue department conducts raids on the stone-crushing units. Some unscrupulous revenue and forest department officials are tacitly encouraging such illegal activities,” locals rued.
“Illegal mining also messes up the environment and harms the tranquil atmosphere while stone-crushing units throw anti-pollution norms to winds,” they observed.
Owners of crusher units have been carrying out such activities by engaging poor people. They demanded that the collector form a special team and conduct raids on the crusher unit owners.
On the other hand, locals and the administration have stepped up their efforts for development of this place as a tourist site. A massive natural forest lies sprawling from Nelung to Bhalughar, marked by outcrops and ancient caves.
It is believed that in ancient times, sages used to stay and meditate at the place, which is now attracting a large number of people on occasions like Makar Sankranti, Shiva Ratri and Raja.
ADM-in-charge Santosh Kumar Nayak said steps will be taken against illegal quarrying and stone-crushing units. PNN
