BERHAMPUR: An illegal bitumen mix plant at Baulajholi village in Kukudakhandi tehsil of Ganjam district was sealed by the administration on Saturday. Sources said the plant belonging to one Balyaram Dalai was being run by violating the pollution norms since the past many years. Dalai is reportedly a close associate of Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Panigrahi. Locals alleged the illegal plant polluted the area, causing diseases. They had also written to the Ganjam collector and sub-collector and Berhampur SP urging action against the plant several times in the past.
Accordingly, basing on collector Dibyajyoti Parida’s direction, an enforcement team led by Kukudakhandi tehsildar Kalyani Sanghamitra Devi along with officials from the pollution control board conducted a raid on the area.
According to the sale deed, Balyaram’s wife Priyanka had 2021 purchased around 750 decimal land in the village along with a stone crusher. The documents, however, reportedly had no mention of the bitumen plant being set up on the said piece of land. Since Dalai failed to produce requisite official permission for running the plant, it was sealed on the charge of being run in violation of environmental laws. However, the fact that the plant continued to operate and stayed out notice of the administration for so long has surprised many.