Rayagada: The state government Wednesday suspended Gunupur tehsildar Laxminarayan Sabat in connection with a stone quarry explosion that killed three and critically injured six others October 16.
The explosion took place at Okilaguda area under Gunupur police limits of Rayagada district.
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Sabat has been asked to report at Rayagada Collectorate during his suspension period, the government order read. He has been directed not to leave the headquarters without prior written permission of the district Collector Pramod Kumar Behera.
Behera has been asked to furnish draft charges against the suspended officer along with authenticated copies of documents at the earliest in order to facilitate disciplinary proceedings.
Notably, the Collector had earlier recommended disciplinary action against Sabat allegedly for not taking adequate administrative measures against illegal stone quarrying going on at Okilaguda.
The quarry was operating sans a valid lease and explosives used there were illegally being obtained from Andhra Pradesh.
Rayagada administration had earlier suspended Gunupur assistant revenue Inspector Anup Kumar Martha in this connection.
PNN
