Jamshedpur, July 8: The forest department has flashed an alert to the government on the increased illegal mining in the mineral-rich West Singhbhum district following the spurt in demand for iron ore.

The West Singhbhum forest department has written a letter to the government, informing it about the rampant illegal iron ore mining taking place in the district. It has requested the government to take steps to curb such illegal activities. ?Such illegal activities are taking place both in the forest and non-forest areas of the district. Since such illegal mining activities are bleeding the government exchequer, we have thought it prudent to inform the government about the matter,? a senior forest official said.

If forest officials are to be believed, those resorting to illegal mining are targeting the mines which have either stopped operations or have been abandoned. ?There are several such mines in West Singhbhum. Since not much attention is paid to these mines, the iron ore pilferers have preferred to carry out such illegal activities in those mines,? the official said.

Recently a team of West Singhbhum forest officials had been to Saranda forest where it had camped to detect illegal mining. The team had found evidence of illegal mining in about four to five places within the forest area.

?In the forest areas where such illegal activities are taking place, we have dug trenches and fixed overhead iron bars at low heights along all roads that lead to closed or abandoned mines. The steps were taken to restrict movement of trucks and other vehicles to transport the iron ore. We have taken such measures in nine places,? said regional chief conservator of forest A.K. Singh.

He refused to comment on similar activities in the non-forest zone of the district.

However, sources in the West Singhbhum forest department claimed the department has come across about 70 illegal crushers which have been set up in the non-forest areas of the district. The crushers are used to process the iron ore which are mined before it is transported to different destinations.

?These crushers have been set up in areas outside the forest region. Most of them have not got permission from the state pollution control board. But we cannot take any action against them since they are functioning in the non-forest area,? said a forest official.

Mines and geology minister Madhu Koda expressed ignorance about the illegal mining taking place in the district.

?I am not aware of any letter that has been written by the department to the government. So far I have not received any complaint about any illegal mining in West Singhbhum from my own department. I have directed the mines inspectors of West Singhbhum to keep tabs on any illegal mining taking place in West Singhbhum,? he said.