Jaleswar: The dispute between the Odisha and West Bengal governments over sand mining on the Subarnarekha riverbed finally has been solved after officials from Balasore and Paschim Medinipur districts in the neighbouring state reached the spot and conducted an inquiry, sources said Sunday. A team led by additional district magistrate (ADM) Sucharu Bal of Balasore district met and worked jointly with officials led by ADM Suman Subhra Mohanty from West Bengal and conducted the probe jointly, Friday. The Balasore ADM was accompanied by Jaleshwar tehsildar Subhendu Sahu, revenue inspector (RI) Debaranjan Mohanty, and officials Sagar Baske, Saroj Bhanja, Pratap Bhanja, Subal Parida, Niranjan Singh, Radhagobind Panda.
Officials of both sides conducted the measurement from Sadarghat in Bilashpur to Sunakania and from Bilashpur to Gobarghata on the riverbed to identify and demarcate the borders between the two states. The demarcation of the border for sand mining on Subranarekha riverbed was done as per an order given by National Green Tribunal four years back. The inquiry and measurement of the area have paved the way for sand mining in a proper and legitimate manner.
Sources said social activist Sudarshan Das had filed a writ petition (173/2018) before the principal bench of NGT in New Delhi highlighting the border problem plaguing the riverbed, sand mining and subsequent pollution arising out of it. The NGT gave an order in this regard and directed the two districts to demarcate the border between the two states. The then Jaleswar tehsildar and the block development officer of Dantan in West Bengal conducted measurements in various phases and demarcated the border.
As part of this exercise, 34 pillars were installed on the demarcated area from the Odisha side while 42 pillars were installed by West Bengal. During the measurement this time, the pillars installed four years back were taken into consideration, the two ADMs Bal and Mohanty said. They added that a report regarding the demarcation of the border will be submitted before the NGT. Notably, the NGT suggested some rules to the Union Government on sand mining in the border areas in 2020. These rules are part of the Regulating and Monitoring of Sustainable Sand Mining Policy 2020. The concerned district collectors have been asked to oversee sand mining in their areas.
