Arvind Mishra, Balodabazar. The administration woke up on Thursday to complaints of illegal excavation and transportation of sand in the Revenue Minister’s home district. On the instructions of Collector Chandan Kumar, a special team of Tehsildars, Sub-Divisional Officers of all the development blocks of Balodabazar was formed and raided together. In this action which started at night, a large quantity of vehicles without royalty slips and overloaded have been seized.
Action has been taken against seven chain mountain machines and more than 50 tractors including highways transporting sand from mines operating at night. At present government figures are not available yet. Therefore this figure may also increase. At the same time, information about the action was neither given to the mining officials nor to the police department. After the start of the proceedings, information was given to the police at around 10 o’clock. The administration suffers loss of revenue due to illegal transportation.
Officers and employees are also getting their share
According to the information, sand mine operators cut a slip and give it to the vehicle two to three times to transport sand from Mahanadi. Whereas royalty slip of Rs 2500 is deducted for one Haiwa. But Rs 8500 is being charged from the vehicle owner for filling additional sand. Due to which the common citizen has to pay a huge price for sand. Sources also say that mineral officials also have a hand in this game. To whom a huge amount is sent every month. Not only this, administrative employees are also given a share. So that the mine operators can get an inkling of the action even before the government takes action. A direct example of this was seen last year in the Mohan sand mine of Palari development block. Where the vehicles disappeared from Mahanadi as soon as information about the action was received. Now it remains to be seen what action is taken against the sand mine mafias who cause loss of revenue to the state government after this big action.
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