Argus News - Stone Mafia Threatens Odisha Mining Team During Enforcement Raid

Bhubaneswar, Dec 6: In yet another incident highlighting the growing audacity of the stone mafia in Odisha, mining officials were allegedly threatened and obstructed by a truck owner and local operatives during an enforcement drive in Dandaharipur village under Bahanaga Tehsil of Balasore district.

According to a complaint filed by Junior Mining Officer Jagannath Das, he, along with colleague Sambit Kumar Mani and driver Niranjan Mahalik, had reached the village after receiving information about three trucks transporting illegally quarried stone. However, a group of youths, the truck owner and members of the local stone mafia allegedly confronted the team, created a ruckus, and threatened to set the department vehicle on fire if the officials attempted to seize the trucks.

The mining team later lodged an FIR at the local police station, stating that such intimidation has become frequent as illegal stone extraction continues to expand in the region. In a separate enforcement action, Das said a tractor involved in illegal dewatering from an unauthorised quarry near Khanjamahal area was seized under Section 163.

Govt Cites Strong Action: 813 Vehicles Seized, 169 FIRs Filed
The incident comes at a time when the Odisha government is intensifying its crackdown on illegal minor mineral extraction across the state. In a written reply to the Assembly on November 27, Steel and Mines Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena informed that 813 vehicles engaged in illegal transportation have been seized so far, with penalties amounting to Rs 6,92,03,813 collected. Another 169 FIRs have been registered.

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Jena told the House that enforcement officials are imposing fines strictly under Rule 51 of the Odisha Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 2016. Drone/UAV and DGPS surveys are being deployed at sand ghats to detect illegal lifting, while District-Level Task Forces and Tehsil committees are monitoring activities round-the-clock.

To enhance transparency, the government has replaced handwritten transit passes with i4MS online passes, and mine owners have been directed to install CCTV cameras along with mandatory information display boards. New potential sources are also being mapped and incorporated into the District Survey Report to curb theft and unauthorised quarrying.

However, despite repeated enforcement drives, incidents like the one in Bahanaga reveal the persistent challenges faced by field officials on the ground.