Cuttack Admin Calls Meeting After Orissa HC Raps Ex-Collector Over Affidavit On Sand Mining

Cuttack: After the Orissa High Court expressed displeasure over an affidavit on illegal sand mining on Kathajodi riverbed in Cuttack, the district administration is holding an important meeting on Tuesday to discuss a reply to be submitted to it on the matter.

The meeting, convened by Cuttack Collector Narahari Sethy, seeks to to discuss the issue and work out a reply to be submitted before the HC, which had recently pulled up the former district collector over an affidavit given on sand mining.

All the Tehsildars, mining officials and sub-collector have been asked by the district administration to remain present in the meeting being held in the evening.

It may be recalled that the Court had recently termed an affidavit submitted by the then Cuttack Collector and current Higher Education Director, Bhabani Shankar Chayani on sand mining at Kathajodi riverbed as false.

Hearing a PIL on illegal sand mining on the riverbed, the HC had asked the district administration to submit the affidavit. The petitioner alleged that the administration had turned a blind eye to the interests of the people.

In its response, the district administration had stated that nothing of that sort was happening and fine was collected whatever illegal mining had taken place.

Terming the affidavit false, the HC expressed its displeasure and stated that such behaviour of the then collector was unacceptable.

“Since such a false affidavit has been filed by such a responsible officer without visualising the ground reality, this Court takes a very serious view of the matter,” the HC had said.

The court had even suggested criminal proceedings against the official.