VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi, June 4: The mining mafias of Sahibganj are so terrified by speculations over the presence of the Enforcement Directorate officials in the town that they have started dumping and destroying evidence related to illegal mining.
Local sources who don’t want to be named said that they have seen people engaged in illegal mining removing stone crusher machines and filling stone dust at the illegal mining sites.
“For the past couple of days, I have noticed that stone specks of dust are dumped at the illegal mining sites so that the Enforcement Directorate doesn’t get evidence of illegal mining. I don’t know the legal complexities and implications but the people of Sahibganj are really enjoying seeing that those who considered themselves above the law are so afraid. This is called fear of the law,” said a local resident of Mirzachauki of Sahibganj.
Jilebia Ghati on Borio Sahibganj road is the hotbed of illegal stone mining. The mining mafias have just not vanished, at a couple of places the illegal mining sites are filled with stone dust. Two local conduits of mafias are said to be involved in the illegal mining.
At Chuhia Pahad, Mahadeoganj illegal stone crusher units were dismantled overnight. “There is no noise of stone crushers and the air is no more polluted with stone dust. Birds are chirping and nature is smiling. There is calmness all around. They made huge craters and now they are filing it back. I wish the drive against illegal mining continues till the last mining mafia is caught,” said another resident of Sahibganj.
The two local powerful Yadavs are engaged in the mining here. Similarly, at Nimbu Pahad the mining activities have just stopped. “The ED in Sahibganj is the lead gossip of the town. Everybody was checking hotels and any stranger suspected in the town is suspected as an undercover agent of the Enforcement Directorate,” said a local businessman.
