The Dharbandora Mamlatdar Laxmikant Kuttikar along with staff of forest and police on Wednesday inspected the laterite stone quarries operating illegally in unclassified forest area at Petaki-Dharbandora. The excavators, truckers and labours fled from the spot minutes before the officials reached the site. An area of around 7 lakhs square meter in this unclassified forest is covered by rock, and more than six illegal stone quarries are in operation in the area.
Sources from the Forest Department informed that the offenders were told fifteen days ago to stop the illicit activities. "We had told them to stop those activities. But they continued. As this land is unclassified, we have no power to act against them. Only DCF and other high-ranking officers can act against them", one of the Forest Department staff said on condition of anonymity.
