The nexus between the official mafia and the official mafia encourages illegal mining in the stone quarries of Jajpur

Jajpur: After a brief lull, illegal mining of black stones is said to have resumed from quarries under Dharmasala tehsil in Jajpur district. According to information, the illegality was exposed by locals who recently exposed the large-scale mining of black stones from a major quarry in Malagoda under Barada Mouza under the tehsil. After that, similar illegal mining was also observed in Bajabati quarry where black stones are mined not only during the day but also at night. After extraction, the black stones are sent to crushing units in the area before being transported (smuggled) to various destinations for sale. Officials from the Minor Minerals Department regularly patrol the area.

However, rampant looting and smuggling of black stones is happening right under their noses as they have failed to curb the phenomenon on the hills under the tehsil. Locals alleged that the black stone mafias are committing murder by conniving with officials of the Minor Minerals Department while the state government continues to lose precious revenue worth millions of rupees. Sources said the huge loot has resulted in shrinking of black stone or granite deposits under the tehsil. There are approximately 200 small and large quarries, of which 85 quarries are on government paper. Of these, the district administration has leased out around 37 quarries, while illegal mining is being carried out in the remaining quarries. Side by side, allegations of illegal mining and irregularities have also been reported in the quarries leased out by the district administration. It is alleged that miners, fearing punishment, illegally extract black stone from quarries outside their lease areas, as well as in areas adjacent to their quarries, and trade stones outside of them. Significantly, the use of explosives to extract black stones from the quarries in a short period of time often results in the death of workers.

On May 16, 2024, three workers were crushed to death after being crushed under huge stones that rolled down the hillside at the BSQ-5/10 quarry on Dankari Hill after an explosion. According to statistics, as many as 50 workers have died in quarry accidents since 2017, and also due to lack of safety protocols. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has on many occasions issued directions to curb the rampant loot of black stone and resultant environmental pollution. However, the problems remain. It is alleged that the inaction has emboldened the illegal miners to the extent that they are blatantly violating the norms of the Director General of Mine Safety (DGMS) in looting and trading black stones. Corruption has helped influential politicians and their cronies profit from mining, at the cost of the lives of dozens of poor workers working in the quarries.

According to reports, a tenant farmer, Prakash Nayak, had been granted a transit permit for three months to extract black stones from two quarries in Malagoda in Barada Mouza. Even though the lease term has expired and the Minor Minerals Department has not renewed it, black stones worth millions of rupees are being extracted from these two quarries every day, which is a complete violation of norms. Meanwhile, local residents have questioned the silence of the Minor Minerals Department on the issue as the illegal activities have not only resulted in revenue losses but the regular use of explosives at the Bajabati quarry has also resulted in air and groundwater pollution. The polluted water is causing the spread of kidney-related diseases in 10 villages in the area. When contacted, Prakash Nayak, deputy director of the Minor Minerals Department, said he had no information about the smuggling of black stones from Barada and Bajabati quarries. When told about this reporter’s findings, he promised to launch an investigation and take necessary steps in this regard.