Jajpur: Mining in six black stone-bearing mines and a sand mine will start in Dharmashala tehsil of Jajpur district. The administration is bracing up to hold public hearing on them.
Stones will be mined from over several hectares of land. The executive summary of its environmental assessment has been prepared.
However, the district administration has not yet finalised the date, timing, and venues for public hearings. This has caused resentment among people who are interested to take the stone and sand mines on lease.
According to reports, there is a huge reserve of black stone in Bichhakhandi hills spreading over 36.65 hectares.
In the past, the hill has been in media focus for rampant plundering of minor minerals like black stone that have a huge demand for infrastructure development.
Regular media reports spoke about the loot of black stones from the hill. Following media reports, the district administration had made attempts to check the stone loot.
Even Section 144 of the IPC has been clamped in the area to keep off the stone mafia. The stone quarries had been shut. Despite this, stone mining was happening occasionally.
The district administration has been preparing to lease out five stone mines in Bichhakhandi hill.
Stones will be mined in 8.08 hectares in Cluster4, 10.52 hectares in Cluster-4(B), 6.70 hectares in Cluster-4(C), 6.29 hectares in Cluster-4(D) and 5.06 hectares of Cluster-4(E).
A private agency named as Kalyani Laboratories Pvt Ltd has conducted the impact assessment survey. The survey has focused the impact of stone mining on air and earth around the hills.
It has suggested ways on how it can compensate losses in environmental, human, social sectors. The survey also suggested that the stone mines would create scope of employment for 325 people.
However, experts said that excessive stone mining may happen in the absence of regular monitoring by officials. Excessive stone mining has taken place in case of Aruha hill under the same tehsil.
Besides, the administration is preparing stone mining in Rahadpur hill. Stone mining will be carried out in 42.40 hectares in Cluster-7. This mine has a reserve of 1,14,65,933 cubic metre of stone.
In next ten years, 1,10,00,000 cubic metre stone will be excavated. This stone mine will create scope of employment for 733 people.
Experts however are skeptical about how far such employment scope will be implemented. The cases of illegal mining at Dankari and Aruha hills are still pending.
Due to excessive stone mining in Aruha hill, the state government has lost revenues worth over Rs 100 crore. A case in this connection is sub judice at the Lokayukta.
Moreover, the administration is to lease out a sand mine spreading over 8.093 hectares near Kabatabandh bridge.
The administration has decided to obtain environmental clearance for it through a public hearing. Illegal sand mining allegedly takes place at this sand mine regularly, it was alleged.
PNN
