Odisha BJP leader red flags coal smuggling in Sundargarh, writes to CM Majhi

Bhubaneswar, April 7 (IANS) Senior BJP leader and former Sundargarh MLA Kusum Tete, on Monday, demanded a high-level probe into the rampant coal smuggling from opencast coal mines in the Hemgir block of the Sundargarh district in Odisha.

Tete, through a letter addressed to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has drawn his attention towards the rampant smuggling of coal from Sundargarh to outside the state.

She claimed that the illegal coal smuggling has been causing huge revenue loss to the state coffers. “Even though the rich mineral soil of Hemgir block's Gopalpur area under the jurisdiction of Sundargarh Assembly Constituency is bestowed with Asia's largest opencast coal mines and Government of India (GoI)'s Navratna company Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) has been tapping the 'Black Diamond' since the 1990s, anti-social elements and coal mafias are having a hey day with impunity by giving a damn to both the district and state administrations,” wrote Tete.

She further mentioned that the Central government has already leased out mining blocks formally to certain legal-lease-holding companies for coal mining operations and the state is earning revenue handsomely.

“Nevertheless, such rampant coal smuggling being committed clandestinely in a massive manner over the years from the Kulapada and Telendihi reserve forest area in Hemgir block's Gopalpur village periphery by the coal scamsters and unscrupulous traders not only is causing grave concerns to the law-abiding and conscious citizens, but also to the utter chagrin of hapless locals. The coal smuggling den in question here is claimed to be spread over a 30 km radius within the reserve forest area with more than 100 coal mining sites and over 40 coal stockyards,” the senior BJP leader added.

Tete asserted that the massively looted booty of coal is allegedly being smuggled out to Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

She stated that these nefarious practices were recently exposed by some local media channels, following which a raid was launched jointly by the Sundargarh district administration, police and forest department sleuths led by the Sundargarh Sub-Collector.

“Despite the raids and startling revelations, the kingpins of the coal crime syndicate are still at large as the news channel nor the officials reported any arrests nor any breakthrough into the vicious circle. Therefore, your benign authority's swift action is highly solicited for a perennial curb on such a catastrophic crime, along with the passing of an order for a high-level probe into the plunder of precious public property. This is for your kind information and necessary action,” urged Tete.

--IANS

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