Three workers killed during extraction of ores from illegal mines in Odisha

At least three labourers, all tribals, engaged in extracting Manganese ores from an illegal mine in Odisha’s Keonjhar district were killed as they were crushed under the debris, police said on Wednesday.

The mishap took place at Dala Pahada hillock within the protected forest area where the mining activity is prohibited under the Wildlife Protection Act. Heavy rain that lashed the area due to a deep depression triggered a landslide, leading to the tragic death of three labourers, said Inspector-In-Charge, Joda Police Station, Sushant Pradhan.

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The deceased persons are identified as Sandeep Purty (32), Kande Munda (19), and Guru Champia(18), all natives of forest-side Bichakundi village under Joda police station limits. Their bodies were retrieved from the debris after a four-hour-long operation.

A case has been registered in this connection, and further investigation is underway. The mining and forest officials have been informed of the illegal extraction of ores from the protected zone, confided an official.

Keonjhar, one of the major mineral-producing districts of Odisha, is endowed with a rich reserve of Iron ore, Manganese ore, Chromite, Quartzite, Bauxite, and Limestone.

The district has rich and abundant reserves of high-grade Iron ore and Manganese ores. The economy of the region is mostly regulated by a mining-based economy. The pilferage of ores through illegal mining in the district often hogs the spotlight in the region.