Ramco fined Rs 1.52 crore

Jajpur: Dharmasala tehsildar Subhankar Mohanty in Jajpur district slapped a penalty of Rs 1.52 crore on the Ramco Cement grinding unit at Haridashpur under the block over a report by the Principal Accountant General (AG). The report states that the firm has encroached large tracts of land (both rural and forest) and water bodies. It has been alleged that Ramco has encroached 5.42 acres of land. Mohanty in an official letter has also asked the unit head of the company to vacate the encroached land as soon as possible. The violation came to the notice of the administration after a report of the AG was published. Mohanty said Ramco has not responded to the notice or paid the penalty. A reminder will be sent to them shortly. If the company does not respond, further action under the Odisha Prevention of Land Encroachment Act will be implemented. The investigation over illegal land acquisition gathered pace after a report was published in a premier Odia vernacular daily.