Post News Network
Jaleswar, Dec 12: Despite the Supreme Court imposing countrywide restrictions on unauthorised sand-lifting from riverbeds, the sand mafia here has been carrying out rampant sand excavation with impunity from various ghats of the Subarnarekha river in Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts. However, both district administrations have been unable to act against the mafia, despite repeated objections from the public.
Even as mafia continues to make big bucks from the illegal sand business, the state treasury is losing crores of rupees towards revenue. But the tehsil officials are not taking action against the mafia, thus emboldening them.
Official sources said the administration auctioned Sheiksarai ghat of Subarnarekha in Rajpur panchayat under Jaleswar Tehsil for five years. Several other ghats not leased out are A, B, C and D ghats in Mohammedpatana.
It is learnt that some leaseholders have been rampantly quarrying sand in the ghats which have not been auctioned.
Over 10 excavating machines have been engaged to quarry ghats day and night while over 500 dumpers, trucks and tractors are excavating tonnes of sand on a daily basis.
Besides, several other sand mafia are also excavating huge quantity of sand from the riverbed of Amarda revenue circle area in Mayurbhanj.
It is also alleged that the ghat bidders have also been carrying out excess excavation of sand, beyond the limit prescribed by the tehsil administration.
Another allegation is that ghat bidders have hoodwinked the tehsil administration by broadening the limits of the ghats. Big boulders have been placed at various places of the ghat as boundary marks.
The bidders have struck an unholy nexus with the sand mafia and are allowing the latter to quarry as much sand as they can from the ghat.
Acting on a tip-off, tehsildar Ramachandra Kisku along with revenue inspectors, supervisor and amins visited Sheikhsarai area and demarcated the ghat limits.
Sand excavation is taking place much beyond the ghat limits. “This is wholly illegal. The administration will take stern action in this direction,” Kisku said.
