A strong call for accountability in Jharkhand’s illegal stone mining sector has come from Babulal Marandi, the state’s BJP President and Leader of Opposition. In a letter addressed to Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Marandi has demanded decisive action against Satyanath Sah, a prominent figure in the stone mafia operating in Sahebganj’s Borio region. Marandi’s correspondence details how Sah allegedly exceeded his four-acre mining lease, encroaching upon and mining an additional 16 acres, totaling around 20 acres of illegal extraction. Official inquiries, initiated by the Sahebganj Deputy Commissioner, have reportedly corroborated the claims of illegal mining. The BJP leader estimates the financial damage to the state exchequer at a staggering ₹200 crore due to these unlawful activities. Marandi is pushing for aggressive legal measures against Sah, including the recoupment of the significant revenue shortfall. Furthermore, he has requested immediate interventions to stop all ongoing illegal mining and to safeguard individuals who report such infractions from any retaliatory threats or violence.
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