Bhubaneswar: The forest wing of Odisha Vigilance conducted two raids in a day and seized illegal minor minerals and vehicles worth over Rs 1 crore in Jajpur district.
On receipt of reliable information regarding illegal transportation of morrum at village Amiyajhari under Byree police station in Jajpur district, a joint forest raid was conducted by the Forest Wing of Odisha Vigilance.
During raid, two vehicles loaded with illegal morrum and one JCB machine engaged in loading work were detected and seized for violation of Rule-4 of Odisha Minor Mineral Concession Rule, 2004 and 2016. The three drivers were arrested and forwarded to the Court.
In the second operation, on getting reliable information regarding transportation of black granite stone by two trucks without valid documents for violation of Rule- 4 of Odisha Minor Mineral Concession Rule, 2004 and 2016 near Chandikhol in Jajpur district were also detected and seized. Two drivers were arrested and forwarded to the Court.
The seized value of vehicles and minor minerals comes to Rs.1,10,37,400. In this connection, five forest cases in Dalijoda Range under Cuttack Forest Division have been registered, the Vigilance said.