Police in Odisha’s Ganjam district seized 25 vehicles on Saturday night in a major crackdown on the illegal transportation of minor minerals, an officer said on Sunday.
Ganjam Superintendent of Police (SP) Subhendu Patra said that the seized vehicles, which included trucks and tractors, were illegally carrying minerals such as sand and murrom.
“We have conducted a crackdown on illegally transported minerals on Saturday night across the district. At least 25 minor mineral-laden vehicles, including trucks and tractors, were seized,” said Ganjam SP.
The materials were sourced illegally from various locations, including the banks of different rivers like Rushikuly, Badanadi, Ghodahada, and Dhanei, as well as nearby hill areas, he said.
The crackdown was conducted in different police station areas.
During the verification, the drivers of the vehicles were unable to produce valid transport permission (TP) or other necessary documents for transportation of the minor minerals in the vehicles.
The SP informed that even as no arrest was made during the raids, police is verifying the vehicle documents. “Notices, however, have been served to the vehicle owners,” the SP said.
The SP stated that such enforcement drives will continue across the district in the coming days.
This operation follows a recent directive from Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who instructed district collectors and superintendents of police at a recent conference to strictly prevent illegal mining of minor minerals and address illicit liquor trade.
