Keonjhar: Some forests in Keonjhar district have become a happy hunting ground for the murram mafia, who continue to strip green cover with reckless abandon to carry on their illegal activities.
Sadly, the revenue and forest departments have failed to check the menace amid reports that illegally excavated murram is being used for the construction of Suakati-Kushakal road under Bansapal block.
On the other hand, the government is losing lakhs of rupees towards revenue due to the illegal activities while resentment is brewing among locals over the inaction of the two departments.
According to reports, renovation and expansion of the 13-km Suakati-Kushkala road and some bridges is in progress at different places.
Some people have been digging murram in forest and non-forest lands in Bhiyan Juanga Pidhi range without obtaining the mandatory permission from the two departments. Once the murram is dug, it is supplied to road construction projects.
The murram mafia has engaged machines and cart away truckloads of murram to the project sites. Locals say errant contractors are also to blame for being part of the elaborate nexus.
Many huge craters have been created on both sides of the road. In the monsoon, the pits get filled with water thus posing risks to motorists and animals alike.
Locals alleged that a large number of trees were felled from the roadside near Bargoda village in order to facilitate digging of huge amounts of murram and earth.
Many big trees have been felled, say villagers who said they are worried that a massive clearing of forests will create an unprecedented ecological imbalance in Bhuyan Juanga Pidhi range.
Wild animals are slowly losing their habitat and often get killed after falling into the pits, locals said, adding that no action is being taken against the mafia despite repeated complaints.
Villagers sought to know why the administration is showing undue favouritism to the contractor.
Keonjhar DFO Rohit Kumar Lenka said a task force headed by the sub-collector has been formed to look into such illegalities. Stern action will be taken against those responsible for it if they are carrying it in reserved forests, he said.
If it is happening in revenue forests, the revenue department will be apprised of, he added. PNN
