Jajpur: The state government is losing revenue over Rs 10 crore annually due to illegal plying of cargo vehicles overloaded with minerals from stone quarries and crusher units in this district.
Moreover, road safety measures have also gone for a toss due to rampant plying of overloaded vehicles here. However, no one cares to address the problem as these vehicles ply on roads with impunity. This can be gauged from the fact that if one takes a look at the road condition in Sukinda and Chadheidhara areas connecting Bhuban in Dhenkanal district.
The regional transport officers have been asked to personally supervise vehicles for overloading, but they seem to be apathetic to the issue. The revenue officials are also no less responsible for the sorry state of affairs.
Reports said that thousands of heavy vehicles like Hywa, trucks and tractors are illegally plying from various stone quarries and crusher units under Dharmasala tehsil in the district. Over 2,000 vehicles ply daily on this route carrying construction materials like boulders, metals, concrete and gravels from the stone quarries and crusher units located in the area.
On the other hand, revenue collection is quite disappointing and do not match with the number of vehicles plying on the route. Observers said that this could have never become possible without the tacit support of revenue, transport and police officials, as these stone smugglers allegedly pay around Rs 30 lakh as bribe per month.
The government fails to see through their designs for which it is annually loses revenue worth crores of rupees every year. It is alleged that that six-wheelers are carrying 25 tonnes of cargo instead of 9.5 tonnes, 50 tonnes in 10-wheelers instead of 16 tonnes, 60 tonnes in 12-wheelers instead of 20 tonnes. Moreover, mini trucks have approval to carry only three tonnes of minerals but they are carrying over seven to eight tonnes.
It is alleged that some senior officials of state transport department are hand in gloves with the stone smugglers for whom the annual target for revenue collection is fixed as per their whims. As a result, it becomes easier for the transport officials to achieve their target and draw appreciation from the state government.
Sources said that various mining firms like IMFA, Tata Mines, OMC and Facor carry out excavation for mining in Kaliapani area of the district. Such excavations result in formation of large pits and 100 to 150 trips of sand are required to fill the pits.
The required sand is transported from the Brahmani river bank in Bhuban and Marthapur in Dhenkanal district and Kabatbandh area in Jajpur district. Gravel and metals are transported from Chadheidhara in Jajpur district. The vehicles plying from Chadheidhara and Bhuban are under the jurisdiction of Jajpur and Dhenkanal RTOs. However, the RTO officials hardly take any action against these overloaded vehicles.
It is alleged that some senior mines officials are also involved in this misdemeanor. Locals have drawn the attention of Dhenkanal and Jajpur Collector several times but their pleas are yet to be addressed.
