Case registered against Mollem pair for illegal laterite mining

Ponda: In a significant move against illegal laterite mining, the Kollam police have registered a case against a couple for operating an illegal mine in Dharbandora.

The duo of Rajendra Babalo Prabhudesai and Satyawan Babalo Prabhudesai of Sukatli-Mollem, own the land in survey number 91/4 in Mollem panchayat area of Dharbandoda taluka, where the illegal activities were going on. A formal complaint has been filed by Suraj Kalangutkar, assistant director of the mining department, alleging illegal stone cutting in the laterite mine and theft of property worth about Rs 10 lakh.

Mines department officials, along with Kollam police, raided the closed laterite mine at Sangod on December 7. It was revealed that unauthorized felling had taken place on private land. The officials conducted Panchnama and filed a complaint against the land owners.

Last month, the Mines Department had raided the closed laterite mine in Thatur-Dharbandoda. A Mines Department official had filed a complaint against an unknown person. Subsequently, a raid on an illegal mine in Sangod has increased pressure on illegal mining operators, leading some to demand political intervention.