Jaleswar: Tension flared up at Bilashpur village on the banks of river Subarnarekha under Raibania police limits in Balasore when a team of officials along with two platoons of police raided the area where the mafia from West Bengal was quarrying sand Sunday.
However, the mafia along with its machines, dumpers, trucks and boats had fled the scene, but later came back with lathis and other weapons on the other side of the river to scare the raiding party.
Jaleswar tehsildar Ramchandra Kisku, additional tehsildar Mahendra Kumar Behera, magistrate-in-charge and Balipal additional tehsildar Jagabandhu Mallick, Soro additional tehsildar Satrughna Sethi and Raibania IIC Laxman Kumar Behera raided the riverbank.
A few select officials were going to Makidia by a boat to chase the sand mafia. On seeing them in the boat, over 100 people including truck drivers and helpers armed with iron rods, guns, petrol bombs and lathis were in a combative mood to counter the officials across the river.
The team had no way but to return from midway. The mafia allegedly threw challenges to the officials, saying they would carry out sand mining. “If you and your local people stop us from carrying out sand mining, we will kill them,” the mafia said.
Mafia from the neighbouring state has been looting sand from Subarnarekha in Makidia panchayat under Jaleswar block despite protests from locals and the local administration.
Rampant sand mining by the mafia and inaction by the state government have enraged the local people, who have warned of agitation.
Peeved over such illegality by the mafia, people from riparian villages of the panchayat recently submitted memoranda to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and revenue minister Maheswar Mohanty, seeking immediate action against the illegal sand lifting.
In their memorandum, they had warned, “People will launch mass protests and hunger strike in front of Jaleswar tehsil office from June 12 if the government does not take immediate measures for permanent solution to the illegal sand lifting.”
Those now leading the campaign against illegal sand lifting are Makidia sarpanch Balaram Barsal, former sarpanch Chandan Kumar Sahu, ward member Jamuna Adhikary, former block chairperson Radhakant Ghose and former samiti member Pratibhrani Ghose. PNN
