Keonjhar: Police have registered criminal cases against a steel manufacturing unit and some transporters for endangering the safety of commuters and motorists by "unsafe" transportation of ore.

"Pellets are being strewn across the highways during the ore transportation in the mineral-rich district. Despite repeated warnings, the transporters are not adhering to the safety measures such as covering the goods-laden trucks and heavy vehicles. As people's safety is at stake, the police have initiated legal action against the offenders," said Keonjhar police superintendent Rajesh Pandit.

"During highway patrolling, I found the precarious state of the NH-20. The highway, which passes through the Naradpur High School, was littered with pellets. A 100-metre stretch of road had come under vast sheet of pellets and mineral ore. Schoolchildren were being inconvenienced. The motorists were also finding it tough to negotiate the bumpy pellet-ridden road," he said.

Cases have been registered against the head of a steel manufacturing unit in the district, apart from some transporters and truck drivers under the IPC Section 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others). This apart, notices have been issued to the offenders under criminal procedure code section 160. Champua police station officials have been asked to expedite investigation and initiate punitive action against those, who are endangering public safety, he said.

Pellets dumped on the road by the ore transporting vehicles were said to be the major cause of road accidents in the past.

The police had earlier issued orders to the steel and sponge iron plant personnel for safe transportation of ore. They were asked to sensitise the transporters to ensure that no pellet falls on the road during transportation. But, the authorities concerned paid no heed, the official said.

The present traffic on the roads of Keonjhar district is more than the carrying capacity of the roads leading to excessive congestion and inconvenience to commuters.

There is frequent traffic congestion. The pellet issue aggravates the problem further. The highway bears the brunt of major ore transportation. There are several highway-side schools. So, the police are intent on curbing reckless driving and nuisance of pellets on the road. Unauthorised highway-side parking is also being sternly dealt with, said a police official.