BHUBANESWAR: An Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of Odisha cadre and his driver were attacked by the sand mining mafia in Balasore district on Friday while he was checking the papers of a sand-laden truck, the district administration said
Kunal Motiram Chavan, a 2020 batch IAS officer posted as sub-collector of Balasore and his driver were hit on shoulders and head at Fuladio bridge of Balasore district when the officer was checking the papers of a sand-laden truck which was suspected to be transporting sand without necessary papers.
They were later discharged from hospital after treatment.
Balasore collector Dattatreya Bhausaheb Shinde said the administration conducted raids in Mandarpur and Dahapada areas on Thursday night following a tip about illegal sand mining and confiscated several tipper trucks, tractors and JCBs.
“Today, the sub-collector was sent to the area again to calculate the value of the seized machines and vehicles to begin the auction process. The sand mafia and some of their supporters attacked him and his driver near Dahapada when he was checking the papers,” Shinde said.
SP Sagarika Nath said two persons have been arrested in the case.
Illegal sandmining has been rampant in the districts of Balasore and Mayurbhanj which have led the National Green Tribunal to impose penalties on contractors in several cases.
In September last year, the NGT ordered ₹36 crore penalty on two mining contractors of Mayurbhanj district for excess and illegal mining from Budhabalanga riverbed. In October, the tribunal ordered FIR against a revenue tehsildar during whose tenure illegal sand extraction took place in Subarnarekha riverbed of Balasore.
In 2021, the NGT also ordered Odisha to stop sand mining in Subarnarekha river in Jaleswar tehsil.
In January last year, the Eastern Zonal bench of the National Green Tribunal said that illegal sand mining activity amounted to theft of government revenue and the accused were liable for prosecution under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002. “Whosoever directly or indirectly attempts to indulge or knowingly assists or knowingly is a party or is actually involved in any process or activity connected [proceeds of crime including its concealment, possession, acquisition or use and projecting or claiming it as untainted property shall be guilty of offence of money-laundering,” the NGT said.