The raids on Boudh Distillery Private Limited began in Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal on Wednesday. The company is linked to Congress MP Dheeraj Sahu.
A public interest litigation filed by NGO Common Cause said that due to excessive mining, iron ore reserves in Odisha were fast depleting and will get exhausted in another two decades.
The festival attracts skilled sand artists from various corners of the globe who come together to showcase their talent for creating sculptures out of sand.