BHUBANESWAR: With the devastation caused by floods in the Mahanadi still fresh in mind, residents of Tirtol village on Monday knocked the doors of Orissa Human Rights Commission (OHRC) seeking an end to illegal sand quarrying from the river bed which they said is destroying the embankment and posing serious threat to their existence. Over 150 villagers turned up in the City and submitted a petition to the OHRC Chairperson Justice RK Patra seeking remedial measures. Since Tirtol village is on the banks of Mahanadi, damage to the river embankment directly poses threat to the lives of 5,000 residents. “The district and local officials are hand in glove with the illegal sand quarrying which goes on unabated during the nights. If allowed to continue, it will cause serious damage to life and property,” the villagers petitioned. The collector and the tehsildar were apprised of the problem but to no avail, they alleged. In fact, on October 18, angry villagers had stormed the office of the tehsildar and also resorted to road blockade along Cuttack-Paradip Road when the agitation did not help. This prompted the collector and ADM to assure action. However, the illegal quarrying has not ceased yet, they said.
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