Post News Network
Jhumpura, April 7: Mindless sand lifting within 300 metre from an old creaky bridge across river Aradei near Arshala under Jhumpura tehsil in Keonjhar district has been posing a threat to the bridge. Truckloads of sand are lifted from the place on a daily basis despite a ban on sand quarrying.
Thousands of ore-laden trucks and vehicles still run over the bridge, which is in a precarious condition. Worse, iron angles have reportedly started falling from the bridge.
Due to rampant sand lifting, huge craters have been created around two pillars of the bridge, posing a threat to its matrix. Construction of a new bridge near the old one is under way as part of the expansion work of the National Highway-215.
A few days ago, locals had objected to sand lifting from near the pillars in view of the ramshackle state of the bridge. As the news grabbed media headlines, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) promised the administration not to allow sand lifting within 300 metre radius of the old bridge.
However, things are now back to square one with the lease-holders of the sand ghats still
carrying out sand lifting even in 50 metre radius of the bridge in violation of the ban.
Locals apprehend that the bridge may cave in if the tehsil administration does not take any action against the ongoing sand lifting.
Meanwhile, locals like Pratap Nayak, Nabin Nayak, Duryodhan Patra, Pratap Pradhan and Kailash Mohant have drawn the attention of additional district magistrate Sangram Keshari Swain to the problem.
Swain said sand lifting will not be allowed
near the bridge.
Jhumpura tehsildar Shiba Top also said that sand-lifting from under the bridge will
be stopped.
