Rampant coal smuggling in reserve forest: BJP leader Kusum Tete writes to CM Majhi, calls for arrest of kingpin

A day after intense raids by the Sundargarh district administration into alleged rampant coal smuggling, concerns have intensified over the raids reportedly failing to dismantle the illegal network. Ex-MLA from Sundargarh and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, Kusum Tete, has now issued a stark alarm in this regard, stating that the illegal operations are still ongoing deep within the Telendihi reserve forest.

In an urgent appeal addressed to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, she called for immediate and decisive action, citing that the smuggling continues unchecked, with no arrests or deterrence in sight, despite a high-profile raid on April 6.

In her letter dated 7 April, she pointed out that the masterminds behind the coal smuggling racket have not been apprehended and raised doubts over the effectiveness of the enforcement action, saying that even after detailed media exposes and the recent raids, no meaningful breakthrough has occurred.

The letter, shared on her X handle, read that "Despite the raids and startling revelations, the kingpins of the coal crime syndicate are still at large as the news channel nor the officials reported any arrests nor any breakthrough into the vicious circle."

She further appealed to the Chief Minister for immediate intervention, stating that "Your benign authority's swift action is highly solicited for a perennial curb on such a catastrophic crime along with passing soon an order for a high-level probe into the plunder of precious public property."

I raises alarm over rampant #coal smuggling in #Sundargarh’s Hemgir block, urging our CM shri @MohanMOdisha ji for a high-level probe. The illegal trade is looting public wealth, destroying forests & empowering mafias. Swift action needed to protect people & resources. pic.twitter.com/Dp7jKWxjkZ

— Kusum Tete (@ktete73bjp) April 7, 2025

A Deep-Rooted Nexus?

Tete highlighted how, despite formal leases granted to legal operators like Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL), a ‘coal mafia’ has allegedly established dominance in the 30-kilometre expanse within the Kulapada-Telendihi reserve forest. According to her, the region harbours over 100 illegal coal mining sites and at least 40 clandestine coal stockyards.

Additionally, in her letter, she further claimed that the stolen coal is being transported not only within Odisha but also to neighbouring states, including Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. The scale and sophistication of the alleged operation, she suggested, point towards a long-standing, organised nexus.

The April 6 Raids in Sundargarh

Authorities from various enforcement wings conducted a high-profile raid on Sunday, dismantling makeshift camps in the Gopalpur forest range. The team comprised the Sundargarh Deputy Collector, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Hemgir Tehsildar, and officials from the forest department.

"When we reached the spot, we found that coal was dug at some places and quarried coal ores were stacked at some others. No one was spotted at the site. The stacked coal ores would be around 10 truckloads,” Sundargarh Sub-Collector Dasarathi Sarabu had said in his statement to the media following the raids.

Sarabu also confirmed that illegal mining activity had likely been occurring over the past two to four years. Notably, the Telendihi reserve forest falls under the acquisition of MCL, adding another layer of complexity to the issue.

An Open Appeal for Accountability

Tete’s letter ended on an urgent note, reflecting local unrest and frustration over the continued looting of natural resources.

"The coal smuggling den in question here is claimed to be spread over a 30 km radius within the reserve forest area with more than 100 coal mining sites and over 40 coal stockyards. The massively looted booty of coal is being allegedly smuggled out, causing colossal revenue loss to the state coffers,” she wrote in her letter.