JAJPUR: Illegal stone mining continues unabated on Kusunpur hills in Dharmasala tehsil notwithstanding the prohibitory orders clamped by the Jajpur district administration and the steadily rising number of deaths.
The administration had demarcated Kusunpur hills areas by installing red flags and imposed section 144 of CrPC in the area a couple of months back. But the stone mafia in connivance with the local revenue officials continue to mine minor minerals from the hills flouting forest, pollution and environment protection norms.
The illegal mining is also taking a toll on labourers working in the quarries. Sources said a labourer of Muraripur village, engaged in an illegal black stone quarry by local stone mafia, lost his life while working at the hillock last week. The illegal quarry is located on the Kusunpur reserve forest land. Over 16 workers have allegedly lost their lives working the unauthorised mines where safety norms are violated with impunity, in the last four years.
Besides Kusunpur, illegal mining of black stone is rampant on hundreds of acre of forest land at Bichhakhandi, Anjira and Rahadpur hillocks in Dharmasala block. Even as the practice has taken a heavy toll on human lives, bio-diversity, natural resources and wildlife, little has been done to arrest the trend.
Several complaints by locals to authorities concerned have yielded no result as both the forest and the revenue departments keep passing the buck to each other. When contacted a district official said steps are being taken to curb illegal mining in the area.