Some lessees who fail to pay are still able to keep ownership of quarries that produce black stone.

In the district of Jajpur, there has been a concerning issue regarding the illegal extraction of black stones from quarries. This has been brought to light after the state Steel and Mines Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena addressed the situation in response to a question raised by Dharmasala MLA Himanshu Sekhar Sahu during a recent session in the Assembly. It was discovered that 19 leaseholders had exceeded the permissible limit and were issued penalty notices amounting to a staggering Rs 313.40 crore. However, despite the notices being issued, the leaseholders have not faced any consequences and continue to hold sway in the area.

It is being questioned how the district administration could grant permission for mining to the accused leaseholders or their family members, and why their environmental clearances were not revoked. Locals have accused the concerned tehsildar of being involved in the irregularities and believe that this could not have taken place without their support. The residents have demanded a high-level investigation and strict action against the tehsildar for promoting the rampant looting of black stones from the quarries, which is detrimental to the environment.

Reports have revealed that some of the leaseholders, such as Prahallad Lenka and Jyotsna Jena, who were issued penalty notices, continue to hold the lease of quarries and extract black stones over the permissible limit. It is also alarming that the defaulting leaseholders have managed to secure the lease of other quarries in the name of their family members. Despite the issue being brought to the attention of the State Environment Impact Assessment Authorities, the District Collector has not taken any action yet, giving the defaulting leaseholders the confidence to continue their illegal activities.

The concerned residents have approached the newly elected MLA Himanshu Sekhar Sahu, hoping that he will take necessary steps to address the issue. When contacted, the Deputy Director of the Minor Minerals department, Jay Prakash Nayak, stated that they are aware of the outstanding penalty and are taking action against the defaulters. However, the responsibility of taking action against the defaulting leaseholders falls under the Revenue department.

In conclusion, the situation in Jajpur district is concerning, with the illegal extraction of black stones continuing to take place due to the inaction of the district administration. It is imperative that strict action is taken against the defaulting leaseholders to put an end to this environmental degradation. The residents are hopeful that the MLA and concerned authorities will take necessary steps to rectify the situation and protect the environment.

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