KENDRAPARA: A large number of locals, mostly women, have taken it upon themselves to fight the sand mafia operating on the banks of Mahanadi river in Mahakalapada block of Kendrapara district.
Residents of Patalipanka, Chanda, Kodakana and other villages stopped sand mining by unscrupulous elements with help of JCB machines near a bridge at Nilachal Market on Thursday. The also detained sand laden vehicles.
Mandakini Rout of Patalipanka village said, the locals decided to protest against illegal lifting of sand from the river bed and near pillars of the bridge after local authorities did not pay heed to their pleas. “The pillars of the bridge over the river will weaken if illegal sand lifting is not stopped in the area,” she warned. Naliniprava Behera of Kodakana said the roads leading to the villages in the area have been damaged due to movement of sand laden trucks and tractors.
Unauthorised sand mining is a lucrative cottage industry for influential persons in the riverside villages, another villager said. Sand mining has also led to deterioration of law and order situation in the villages as members of mafia often clash with each other.
Mahakalapada tehsildar Manas Ranjan Tripathy said several illegal sand quarries have been closed in the area. “The authorities have directed sand lifters to obtain environmental clearance from the government. We have also directed police to act against the sand mafia,” he said.