BARIPADA: Led by Mayurbhanj MP Biseswar Tudu, the BJP on Sunday raised a banner of protest against illegal mining in the district and demanded stringent action against administrative officials who they say were complicit with the sand mafia.
Tudu along with four MLAs of the district - Prakash Soren, Sanatan Bijuli, Nabacharan Majhi and Budhan Murmu - told mediapersons that the State Government must check illegal mining and demanded dismissal of the suspended Deputy Collector of Kalahandi Anisha Das who earlier served as tehsildar of Betnoti.
The law-makers also sought action against members of the mafia who demanded money in the name of senior officers.
BJP district unit president Kandra Soren and Zilla Parishad president Sujata Murmu said due to nexus of the previous tehsildar, illegal sand mining flourished in Badasahi, Betnoti, Rashgobindpur, Moroda, Chitrada, Sarasahkana and Bangiriposi areas in the district. No step was taken by the administration to check the illegal sand and morrum lifting though attention of the Collector was drawn to the illegal practice, he said.
He alleged that Das, during her stint as tehsildar of Betnoti, was hand in glove with the mining mafia. When the matter came to light, she was transferred to Kalahandi and posted as Deputy Collector before being suspended by the Government.
The BJP leaders demanded Crime Branch (CB) probe into the matter and stern action against the accused.
The MP and MLAs were sitting on dharna for the last three days in front of Baisinga police station demanding immediate arrest of Das and sand mafia members.