Banarpal: To check illegal quarrying and transportation of sand, Banarpal tehsildar and police officials conducted a raid Friday on an illegal crushing plant at Banarpal area of Angul district and seized 12 tippers. The vehicles were being used for smuggling sand and stone chips.
A large number of cases of illegal mining have been detected in the past few months. Intensifying the drive against the menace, Banarpal police have become proactive and are conducting raids regularly. Crushing plants which are being run illegally are being identified and heavy fines are being imposed on those who run the organisation.
Notably, Dharmasala tehsildar August 2 conducted a raid on an illegal crushing plant at Jajpur district and seized a JCB machine engaged in digging. Besides, they also seized a tipper from Mandia Chowk on NH- 53 that was used for granite smuggling from Anjira Mountains.
It may be mentioned that apart from the JCB and the tipper, six trucks were also seized while transporting stone chips illegally from Anjira Mountains. Two of the vehicles were released after their owners paid fines worth Rs 40,000 each.
PNN