Ganjam District Administration Intensifies Crackdown on Illegal Sand Mining Operations
In a decisive late-night operation targeting illegal sand mining activities, the Ganjam district administration successfully seized at least 13 sand-laden tractors at Mahachhai, located within the limits of the Kabisurya Nagar police station. This raid, conducted on Saturday night, marks a significant enforcement action against the rampant extraction of minor minerals from prohibited zones.
Prohibitory Orders and Legal Framework
The district administration has implemented Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) in the area since March 27, explicitly banning all mining activities along the Rushikulya riverbed. This legal provision is part of a broader strategy to curb environmental degradation and unauthorized resource exploitation.
Coordinated Raid and Seizure Details
Acting on specific intelligence, a joint team comprising police officers, tehsil officials, and mining department personnel conducted surprise raids in the prohibited area. Tehsildar of Purushotampur, Binod Behera, confirmed on Sunday that all sand-laden vehicles were confiscated from the spot. However, the drivers and other individuals involved in the illegal mining managed to escape before authorities could apprehend them.
Santosh Kumar Behera, the mining officer of Purushottampur, disclosed that a First Information Report (FIR) has been lodged at the Kabisurya Nagar police station against the vehicle owners. The charges include alleged involvement in illegal mining and blatant violation of the prohibitory orders. Police officials have assured that stringent action will be taken against all individuals implicated in these unlawful activities.
Strategic Planning and Previous Operations
A mining officer involved in the operation revealed that the crackdown was meticulously planned after receiving continuous reports of sand mining persisting despite the imposition of prohibitory orders. "Earlier attempts to seize vehicles were unsuccessful, prompting us to launch a coordinated operation with all access roads blocked to prevent escape," the officer stated.
This incident represents the second major enforcement action in the district within a month. Last month, authorities seized 15 sand-laden vehicles from the Mangalpur ghat area for similar violations, where illegal mining from the Rushikulya riverbed was conducted in defiance of the same BNSS Section 163 orders.
Broader Enforcement Measures Across the District
To comprehensively address the issue of illegal sand mining, the district administration has extended the imposition of BNSS Section 163 to various riverbed locations throughout Ganjam. Prohibitory orders are currently in effect at 16 specific sites across Chikiti, Kanishi, Kukudakhandi, and Sanakhemundi under the Berhampur sub-division, aiming to restrict unauthorized mineral extraction and protect natural resources.
The ongoing crackdown underscores the administration's commitment to enforcing environmental regulations and combating illegal mining practices that threaten ecological balance and legal compliance in the region.
