Berhampur: In a late-night crackdown on illegal sand mining from prohibited areas, Ganjam district administration seized at least 13 sand-laden tractors at Mahachhai under Kabisurya Nagar police station limits late on Saturday night. The district administration has promulgated Section 163 of BNSS in the area since March 27, prohibiting mining activities at the Rushikulya riverbed.Acting on a tip-off, police, tehsil and mining officers conducted joint raids at the prohibited area and seized all sand-laden vehicles from the spot,” said tehsildar Purushotampur Binod Behera on Sunday. Vehicle drivers and others engaged in mining of minor minerals, however, fled the spot, he said.Santosh Kumar Behera, mining officer, Purushottampur said they have lodged an FIR in Kabisurya Nagar police station against the owners of vehicles for their alleged involvement in illegal mining and violation of prohibitory orders. Police said action would be taken against the people allegedly involved in the illegal sand mining by violating prohibitory order.“After getting information about continuous sand mining in the area despite the imposition of prohibitory orders, they chalked out plans to crack down on illegal activities,” said a mining officer. Earlier, the mining officers had tried to seize the vehicles. As they could not succeed, they conducted joint operations after blocking all roads connecting to the place,” said an officer.It was the second major crackdown in the district within a month. Last month, they had seized 15 sand-laden vehicles from Mangalpur ghat area for allegedly illegally mining of the sand from Rushikulya riverbed by defying prohibitory orders, where the district administration has already promulgated Section 163 of the BNSS.To prevent illegal sand mining, the district administration has already imposed Section 163 of BNSS in different areas in riverbeds in the districts. Prohibitory orders have been imposed in 16 places of Chikiti, Kanishi, Kukudakhandi and Sanakhemundi under Berhampur sub-division to restrict illegal mineral mining.
