JAIPUR: After years of unabated quarrying in Dankari hills under Dharmasala tehsil, the district administration finally woke up from its slumber on Monday to act against the illegal practice. A joint team led by Jajpur Collector, SP and other district officials raided the illegal quarries in Dankari hills and sealed those. The district administration also demarcated the quarries by installing red flags besides imposing Section 144 of the CrPC in the area.
Sources said around 24 stone crushers, including several illegal ones, were operating in the hills. The administration’s move came after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ordered the State Government to check the continuous extraction of minor mineral resources and its transportation from Dankari hills.
According to official reports, the administration had permitted mining operations in four out of the 16 minor mineral sources (Sairat) in Dankari area.
The Centre has decided to set up a strategic oil reserve with a capacity of 3.7 million tonne at Dankari hills to increase the storage capacity of petroleum products for use during emergency. Accordingly, it had asked the State Government and Jajpur administration to shut down the crushers and stop mining work. However, the district administration failed to act against the stone crushers and illegal mining in the area, sources said.
Later, a social activist filed a petition in the NGT alleging rampant illegal mining in Dankari hills and demanded an end to it. Acting on the complaint, the NGT on October 5 ordered the State Government and Jajpur administration to take action in this connection. Following the NGT directive to the Chief Secretary of Odisha, a special committee was also formed to inquire into the matter. Last week, a special team of the State Environment Impact Assessment Committee had visited the area to take stock of the situation.
Jajpur Collector Ranjan Kumar Dash said permission was not given to carry out mining operations in Dankari area. “We have clamped prohibitory orders and warned public not to enter the hillock area. If anything illegal comes to our notice, we will file prosecution against the violators,” he added. Three platoons of police force were deployed during the raid in Dankari hillock area.