Jajpur/Chadheidhara: Forest officials Friday morning seized a deer carcass from the foothills of Lunibar under Dalijoda forest range in Dharmashala block of Jajpur district.
Forester Chittaranjan Rout along with Dharmashala tehsildar Prabhas Behura reached the spot and sent the carcass to Barchana veterinary hospital for a post-mortem.
Locals said the deer, apparently disturbed by the deafening sound of stone quarrying by means of wagon blasting on Dankari hill, was trying to flee the area but accidentally fell off Lunibar hill and died.
They allege the forest officials are trying to give the incident a different colour to protect the interests of the stone quarry owners. The deer was hounded by stray dogs and fell to death, Rout said, adding the cause of its death would be known after the receipt of the post-mortem report.
“It seems the official was present at the time of death of the animal,” a villager said. Though there are instances when many animals like deer, hare and fox fall to death like this, the incidents don’t come to light, said another villager.
According to reports, there are 362 stone crushers units in 212 villages of Dharmashala block. Of them, 40 are mega units which are located at the foothills of Dankari, Rahadapur, Kusumpur.
Forest resources in the block are decreasing while day temperatures are rising in the area since the establishment of these crusher units.
Till the end of the 20th century, the entire Dharmashala block was known for its flora and fauna. Populated with wildlife, the block had natural dense forest, green agricultural fields and beautiful hills. Farmers had never been in need of irrigation as rainfall was regular due to presence of thick forest cover.
However, this has now become a thing of past as pollution caused by stone quarries and crusher units that have mushroomed in the area has made life miserable for man and animal alike.
These days, people not only live in fear due to the ear-shattering sound of wagon blasting, but also many suffer from kidney ailments due to rising pollution levels. Though wagon blasting method of quarrying has officially been banned, stone quarry owners manage to adopt it in connivance with some local revenue officials.
This method of quarrying has reportedly contaminated the groundwater in the region. More than 20 people in the block have died from kidney-related diseases, a report said.
Though a local women’s outfit had raised its voice against wagon blasting last year, their resistance was suppressed with the mid-night arrest of the members.
At present, the lease holders of the stone quarries continue to blast the hills without any opposition, it was learnt.
Apart from air pollution caused by the crusher units, the wildlife is under threat due to nose pollution, environmentalists said. PNN