A five-member team of the Central Pollution Control Board headed by its Regional Director Ramesh Saxena visited Subarnarekha river bank to inspect the illegal sand mining through hi-tech machines from the river beds after the NGT gave its verdict acting on a PIL to stop the activities which threatened the ecology of the region.
The team visited Bilaspur, Makadia, Kuanrpur, Dakhin Praharjpur villages, Sub-Collector Baleswar Sadar Nilu Mohapatra, Tehsildar Jaleswar Abhimanyu Panda with other senior officials.
They assessed the damages inflicted by the drawing of sand from the river beds through machines on the river water, besides pollution and the threat faced by the nearby habitation.
It may be noted the NGT on September 4 had directed the authorities including Pollution Board to work out plans and measures to stop the sand lifting within three months.
Sudarshan Das, the petitioner, said the authorities should have acted within December 4 following the verdict. It is delayed by two weeks.
“Not only the NGT directed to stop illegal extraction of sand, it also asked to impose penalty on the violators and further compensation to the persons affected with the mining,” said Das.
On November 17, the district administration after carrying out a raid had seized a sump machine, five sand laden vehicles and other machineries.
The raid headed by Sub Collector Mohapatra was conducted on a sand quarry patch at Mohammadnagar Patna area in Jaleswar block with the assistance of police force.
It was conducted on the allegations of violation of mining rules. Quarrying sand by sump machine is illegal under the mining rule. In violation to it the method was used by a lease holder. Earlier, West Bengal sand traders used to adopt the method but now the leasees of Odisha too are using.
The NGT has banned such method of sand lifting from river bed. Such large scale illegal and unscientific mining can directly impact the ecology of the river since sand can be siphoned even below 60 feet deep.