After Arrest Of 360 For Theft Of Minor Minerals, Odisha To Intensify Crackdown On Mafia

Bhubaneswar: The statewide crackdown on illegal extraction and transportation of minor minerals has seen the arrest of over 360 persons and seizure of 524 vehicles over the past four days in Odisha.

Director General of Police (DGP) Y B Khurana said that strict action is being taken against the sand, gravel and stone mafia during the ongoing crackdown against illegal extraction and transportation of minor minerals in the state.

The state police in coordination with the Mines department have been conducting raids at various places and have seized tractors, trucks, tippers and trucks loaded with sand, he told reporters on Tuesday.

While 360 people have been arrested, over 100 others have been issued notices so far and 456 cases registered against the sand, and stone mafia across the state. Similarly, around 524 tractors, trucks, tippers and trucks loaded with sand have been seized.

Stating that the crackdown will continue as part of the special operation, the DGP said that people can also provide information to the police regarding the smuggling of sand and gravel.

Notably, the crackdown against illegal mining of minor minerals followed a directive issued by Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja on March 6 during a video conference with district collectors and SPs. They were asked to intensify enforcement drives and conduct raids in the sand and stone quarries to curb illegal mining and transportation of minerals.

Collectors were also instructed to undertake surveys of new sources of sand and black stone, equalling to 150% of their current sources and prepare reports by August for auction of the newly-identified sites by October this year. Besides checking illegal mining, the government hopes to increase the number of such sources, which will not ensure a steady supply of raw materials for construction projects, but also make the prices reasonable, official sources said.