Orissa HC directs to stop movement of illegally raised minerals

Expressing concerns over illegal mining activities, Orissa High Court directed the Superintendents of Police and Regional Transport Officers (RTOs) to track and take action against mining activities being taken up in contravention to laws.

In a public interest litigation, petitioners Jayanta Kumar Rout and others had submitted that not only indiscriminate blasting was done at the mining site by those mining mafias but the complacency on the part of the administration was also patent that no action or was taken against those mafias.

The counsel of petitioners also vociferously made submissions that the petitioners were noticing, since preceding months, the movement of the vehicles carrying such stones and minerals in the village and the sound of blasting were also frequently heard by them.

“It is alarming to note from the instruction that despite the communication is made by the Mining Officer, Mayurbhanj to the Mining Officer, Balasore on September 23, 2025 that some mafias of the Balasore district are mostly doing the illegal excavation and one of the excavators owned by a person named, Radheshyam crusher (Sarisua, Guapal) was caught but a plea was taken that they are the auction holder of the stone quarry from Balasore area but actually they excavate stone using heavy machines from Mayurbhanj area,” states a judgement delivered by division bench of Orissa HC comprising Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice M.S. Raman.

“The request was made to take several steps by making frequent raids, demarcation of the district boundaries and activation of the provisions contained in the criminal law, yet no fruitful result is found,” it noted.

The Division Bench directed Superintendent of Police of Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts to depute adequate police personnel across mining areas and in the event of any mining activities, immediate steps should be taken upon verification of the relevant documents granted by the Competent Authority.

Similarly, RTOs were also directed to constitute a team of adequate personnel to intercept each vehicle passing through the road in Odisha, carrying the minerals and in the event the requisite documents as required under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 are not found or being carried, immediate seizure should be ensured and the persons should also be taken into the rigours of law.

The Court directed Odisha government to file an affidavit on actions taken to contain illegal mining activities within three weeks.