Rayagada: Nagavali river, which is one of the major rivers of South Odisha and North Andhra Pradesh, is slowly changing its course due to alleged illegal mining and smuggling of black stones from near Dhumaguda village – about 2 km from the district Collectorate at Rayagada, a report said. The miscreants are using explosives and smuggling stones from the quarry near Dhumaguda village as a consequence of which the river is reportedly changing its course. Environmentalists alleged that the river has changed its course from its upstream at Chekaguda bridge to its downstream due to regular blasting and quarrying activities.
Pictures show seepage of water under the ground which may assume bigger proportions. It is alleged that a non-Odia person is mining a large amounts of stones from the quarry through blasting without having necessary approval. Rayagada tehsildar Tapas Rout visited the spot after being apprised about the illegal mining March 3, 2023. Later, he also lodged a complaint at Sheskhal police station. However, police are yet to take any action in this regard.
Notably, large-scale quarrying is being conducted on plot no-171, khata number-27 in Dhumaguda mouza under Rayagada tehsil. The stone quarry is spread over 12 kms and is mentioned as a hill in the revenue records of state government’s ‘Bhulekh’ portal. It is alleged that stones have been extracted from over 3 out of 12 acre of land of this large hill since 2021.
Sources said the district police is a mute spectator to illegal supply of the smuggled stones to neighbouring Andhra Pradesh through Rayagada town. The rampant quarrying has also posed grave threat to Dhumaguda, adjoining Mariguda and Chekaguda slum in Rayagada town. Earlier, the river was flowing straight but continuous and excessive blasting has made a deep impact underneath, thereby forcing the river to change its course, said the locals and environmentalists. The illegal and continuous use of explosives has forced the locals of Dhumaguda, Mariguda, Baisingh and Chekaguda slum to live in a state of perpetual fear and panic.
An environmentalist-cum-social activist Ajay Kumar Kashyap stated that change in river course has also impacted the water retaining capacity of the river which in turn will result in natural calamity and harm agriculture too.
On the other hand, the residents alleged that the illegal blasting has directly impacted three viewpoints that are on the top of the quarry. People have stopped visiting the viewpoints as they apprehend that the illegal blasting might endanger their lives. When contacted, Rayagada superintendent of police Vivekanand Sharma said that police have not permitted anyone to use explosives in the area. He assured to conduct a probe into the use of explosives in Dhumaguda quarry. He also said that action will be taken against the guilty after conducting a probe into the complaint of the tehsildar.
