Drive to check illegal coal trade in Aurangabad dist

Aurangabad: A massive drive has been launched to check illegal coal trade flourishing in the district. Raids were carried out at different places on Wednesday and altogether seven persons were booked in this connection.
A team of the district administration led by SDM (Sadar) Surendra Prasad carried out raids at Swastika Smokeless, Sri Ram Smoke and Sri Economical Coke Factory, all falling under the jurisdiction of Barun police station and located on NH-2.
Sources in the raiding team said the general manager of the district industry centre and seven others have been booked for their alleged involvement in misuse of subsidized coal.
A senior official in the investigation team on the condition of anonymity said huge quantity of coal was being loaded from CCL meant for manufacturing coaltar and other factory works. "No factory was found in running condition. It appears that subsidized coal worth crores have been swindled," said the official.
Many employees of the factories also confessed before the raiding team that these units are not in running condition.
The SDM said an FIR has been lodged with the Barun police station, based on the statement of Barun circle officer (CO) Nooman Ahman. General manager of district industrial centre Pramod Singh along with Pradeep Singh, Rajnikant Verma, Prasant Kumar, Saryu Singh and Motilal have been made named accused under various sections of IPC, he added.
Involvement of cops in this organized crime also cannot be denied, said sources.
Raids are being carried out following a directive of Aurangabad DM Kawal Tanuj. Taking to TOI Tanuj said, "The district administration will not allow such illegal activities. Who so ever is involved will not be spared," he said.
Needless to say that NH-2 has been infamous for selling of coal, sand, stone and other items in black market, causing huge revenue loss to the state and central governments.
Several check points have been put up between Dhanbad to Varanasi with a view to checking illegal trade but it has failed to take any step to prevent such activities.
'Dhikkar March': A group of over 200 youths, carrying national flags in their hands took out a 'dhikkaar march' to protest the 'political patronage' given to students supporting anti-national activity on university campus. The march started from Dharamsala Chowk and passed through the old GT Road and main market area and converged at Ramesh Chowk.
Several youths expressed their anguish over the ongoing politics following JNUSU president Kanhaiya's arrest. State ABVP president, who also joined the March, was highly critical of AICC vice president Rahul Gandhi.
"Rahul hardly understands politics and is only trying to mess up the issue. If anyone has to live in India, then they must know how to crush their enemies," he said.
The district unit of BJP also staged a dharna close to DM's office to protest the rising crime incidents of crime.
The dharna was led by district president Pursottam Kumar Singh. Addressing party activists, Singh said the law and order situation has deteriorated in the state while CM Nitish Kumar claims that rule of law prevails in Bihar.