BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha Lokayukta on Thursday issued notices to the state government in connection with illegal mining at a stone quarry in Lunibara of Jajpur district where two persons were killed in a blast in May.The anti-corruption watchdog has summoned the additional chief secretary of Steel and Mines department seeking his views and comments on the matter within six weeks. Quarry lease holder Gangadhar Ojha has also been summoned to submit his views.
Taking suo motu cognisance of media reports, the Lokayukta had earlier directed the director of Vigilance to conduct a preliminary inquiry to ascertain whether there exists a prima facie case against any public servant(s) or person(s) for proceeding further in the matter.
Although the preliminary probe report submitted by the director of Vigilance clearly stated the lease-holder was engaged in illegal quarrying of black stone using Caterpillar 323D3 hydraulic excavator, the involvement of any government official in the illegal quarrying could not be established. Repeated efforts of the inquiring officer to examine Ojha turned futile as he did not cooperate and succeeded in avoiding his examination during the inquiry.
Since there is prima facie evidence that Ojha was illegally quarrying black stone by openly using hydraulic excavator, which is a heavy machine and during such illegal quarrying, two persons lost their lives, the Lokayukta found it intriguing to understand that the illegal quarrying was being carried out without the knowledge of local officials.
“How could the lease-holder openly carry out illegal mining of black stone and that too by using a huge hydraulic excavator without the knowledge of public servants concerned who are duty bound to protect the natural resources of the state from illegal mining,” the anti-corruption wondered.