Seraikela: District Mining Task Force meeting emphasizes crackdown on illegal mining

Mail News Service

Seraikela, Oct 12: A meeting of the District Level Mining Task Force (DMFT) was convened, with Deputy Commissioner Ravi Shankar Shukla and Superintendent of Police Dr. Vimal Kumar..

During the meeting, the DC reviewed the previous meeting’s decisions aimed at curbing illegal coal, stone, and sand mining and provided vital directives and guidelines.

District Mining Officer Sunny Kumar reported on the actions taken against illegal mining activities, encompassing coal, iron, scrap, sand, and stone, during this fiscal year. He mentioned that there had been a total of three raids on coal mining operations, leading to the recovery of 50 tonnes and 25,210 kgs of coal.

These operations resulted in the arrest of three individuals and the seizure of one pickup truck and three trucks. In the context of iron mining, a raid yielded 4,476,753 cubic feet of iron ore, 1,200 cubic feet of coal, and 505 cubic feet of other minerals.

Furthermore, 25 raids were conducted to counter illegal sand excavation, resulting in the recovery of 1,002,821 cubic feet of sand. These actions led to the arrest of nine individuals and the penalization of 18 trucks, 18 tractors, one dumper, six Tata 407 vehicles, one pickup truck, one tailor vehicle, and two other vehicles. A fine of Rs 6.54 lakh was collected during these operations.

In response to the ongoing efforts, the DC urged the District Sub-Divisional Officer, District Mining Officer, Circle Officers, and Police Station In-charges to intensify on-site inspections and raids. The aim is to proactively combat illegal mining, storage, and transportation activities within the forested areas of the district. He stressed the importance of taking appropriate action against individuals involved in such illegal activities.

The meeting was attended by several key officials, including Additional Deputy Commissioner Subodh Kumar, Deputy Superintendent of Police Headquarters Chandan Kumar Vats, District Transport Officer Shankar Acharya Samad, District Mining Officer Sunny Kumar, Sub-Divisional Officers, Circle Officers, and Police Station In -charges.