BHUBANESWAR: The Opposition BJP and Congress legislators on Wednesday came down heavily on the State Government for its failure to take action against corrupt revenue officials and mafia involved in looting minor minerals in the State.
The BJP members walked out of the Assembly as Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Sudam Marndi failed to give specific replies on the measures taken to curb illegal mining and action taken against officials for causing huge loss of revenue to the exchequer.
The Opposition gave a new twist to the mysterious death of lady panchayat extension officer Smitarani Biswal by linking the case with illegal mining in Jajpur district.
Initiating the debate on the admissibility of an adjournment motion on "Huge loss of revenue due to illegal mining of minor minerals", deputy leader of BJP legislature party Bishnu Charan Sethi said government officials in collusion with political leaders and mine mafia are looting minor minerals across the State.
Even as the State Government claimed to have stopped illegal quarrying of black stone from Dankari hill in Dharmasal tehsil of Jajpur district, Sethi sought specific answers from Revenue Minister about action taken against 10 revenue inspectors and six sub-collectors who were named in a report by then Jajpur Collector Satya Ranjan Mallick.
Citing a letter written by Mallick to the State Government on August 6, 2016 in which he sought permission to initiate action the corrupt officials of Revenue department, the BJP member asked the Minister to inform the Assembly what action has been taken by the government against those officials.
The 5T of State Government should not be limited to only Health department and dared the 5T Secretary to take action against those officials named in the Collector’s report.
Noting that the Revenue Minister has not denied the allegations on rampant theft of minor minerals in the State, senior Congress leader Narasingh Mishra said in legal terms, ‘Facts not denied is admitted.’
Mishra said he does not dispute that the Government had taken some measures to curb illegal mining but most of those remain in pen and paper.
“This may surprise many that loss to the exchequer is more from minor minerals than major minerals. The theft of minor minerals are rampant due to huge vacancy of revenue field staff,” he added.
Sethi and Mishra said there are enough reasons to believe that the alleged suicide of Smitarani has strong links with illegal mining as some of the accused have business interest in black stone quarrying in Jajpur district.
Refuting Opposition allegations, the Revenue Minister said quarrying activities at Dankari hill have been stopped and penalty of `58.62 crore was imposed on lease holder Shibas Jena for illegal mining of black stone. Meanwhile, Jena has moved to the Supreme Court against the Government order.