BALASORE: Tension flared up in Mohammad Nagar Patna panchayat under Jaleswar tehsil here after a two groups of villagers clashed during a public hearing on sand mining in the area on Friday.
The hearing was organised by the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) at the panchayat office to seek public opinion on leasing a sand quarry at Subarnarekha riverbed in Shekhasarai village, which has reportedly not been auctioned since 2015.
While the administration was gathering feedback on auctioning the sand sairat for the current year, heated arguments broke out between villagers opposing the lease and those supporting it. The anti-lease villagers questioned the rationale behind holding the public hearing after a gap of nearly a decade. They opposed the proposal, expressing apprehension that sand mining could have a negative impact on the local environment and alter the course of the river in future.
However, villagers supporting the lease raised objection and demanded the auction of the quarry. The situation turned ugly when both the groups confronted each other. In the scuffle, a stone was allegedly hurled at villagers opposing the proposal. A person was injured in the incident and was taken to Jaleswar community health centre for treatment.
Despite repeated appeals by OSPCB officials and district administration representatives, the warring groups refused to relent, prompting police to resort to mild lathi charge to bring the situation under control. Later, the public hearing was called off.
Jaleswar tehsildar Satyajit Mohanty said the hearing was disrupted due to the unrest and subsequently suspended for the day. Further steps will be taken after reviewing the situation, he added.
Among others, tehsildar Mohanty, ADM Hemanta Singh, Basta SDPO Manas Deo, Jaleswar SDPO Chandamani Singh and IIC Ashok Barik were present at the hearing.