The Baleswar district Collector has sought intervention of Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue, Taradatt to resolve the border dispute tension in the district. For about two weeks now, the border of north Odisha, particularly some pockets of Raibania, with West Bengal is witnessing a volatile situation over the boundary dispute between the two States that has emerged over sand quarrying.
The district administration has deployed a police force near the disputed site to prevent sand quarrying from the Subarnarekha riverbed and thwart any untoward incident.
“For more than two decades, sand lifting by the mafias of Bengal was going on. For the first time, a raid was conducted on Saturday and three persons were arrested. Further, I have apprised the Additional Chief Secretary Taradatt about the development and sought more force as the mafias are coming to the spot with arms,” Collector Santan Mallick said.
The arrested persons were identified as Dipu Dinda, Mohammad Dular and Mohammad Izban, all residents of Bengal. The raiding team led by local Tehsildar Jaleswar Rajanikanta Biswal and SDPO Satyaranjan Mallick also seized a JB machine, a tractor and other machineries from their possession when they were lifting sand near village Dakshin Praharajpur under Raibania block.
“After action from our end, the quarrying had stopped, but again the mafias tried to start their activities after pitching a red flag at the site. The flags were removed and the miscreants were warned not to start quarrying till identification of the area. A group of miscreants had also threatened me of dire consequences near my residence following my raiding action. I have informed the matter to the district Collector,” Tehsildar Biswal said.
According to Biswal, a group of mafias belonging mainly to villages Mirzapur, Hasimpur, Palpada and Palasia under the Dantun police station of West Medinapur of West Bengal are engaged in the quarrying job.