Baripada: Even as a contractual agency from outside has been carrying out massing quarrying of stones in Mayurbhanj district, the district administration is doing nothing about it.
Local people have opposed this and drawn the attention of the administration to the illegal act, but the latter fears to act against the company, sources said.
According to reports, a stone crushing unit has been operating at Ramchandrapur in Dhangidishola panchayat under Saraskana block for 10 years. It is owned by a person from outside of the state. The company has deployed machines and uses explosives to quarry stones.
The firm has been extracting about 2,000 tonnes of stone every day. An average of 60,000 tonne of stone is mined and supplied to other firms on a monthly basis while its monthly turnover is estimated to be Rs 10 crore.
Locals alleged the firm uses high-intensity explosives to blast rocks, leaving people nearby panicked in a 5 kilometre radius.
Upset over this persistent problem, people of Ramchandrapur, Ashoknagar and Badashola had apprised the collector October 6. But the administration has not been able to take action against the firm.
This firm was roped in for work on Subarnarekha irrigation project when it was given a stone quarry on lease. Locals said although its contract got over long back, it has been mining stone since 2008.
Locals pointed out since the company has got the support of local people’s representatives, the administration doesn’t want to meddle with this issue.
It was learnt that the firm has applied to the district administration for mineral quarrying, but the latter has not given permission to it. Despite this, the company has been illegally extracting stones.
Paribesh Surakhya Manch, a local outfit working for ecology, accused the firm of terrorising local people opposed to its activities.
Laxman Kumar Tripathy, president of Paribesh Surakhya Manch, said he would move the National Green Tribunal and write to the Centre in this regard. Saraskana tehsildar Lalatendu Singh said he has got complaints in this regard and asked the revenue inspector to look into the issue and submit a report.PNN
