Bikaner, June 15 -- The education department has ordered an inquiry after authorities detected alleged illegal gypsum mining within a government school campus in Bikaner's Bajju area, officials said on Sunday, adding that no construction work had been approved at the site. According to officials, the incident came to light at the Government Senior Secondary School in Tejpura village of Bajju, where authorities conducted a late-night operation on Saturday following information about illegal gypsum extraction from government land. During the joint raid by mining, revenue and police officers, a JCB machine and a dumper allegedly being used in the excavation were seized, officials said, adding that a penalty of Rs.3.30 lakh was also imposed on the school. Mining engineer Mahesh Prakash Purohit said, "Nearly 55 tonnes of gypsum had been illegally extracted from the school premises. The mining department imposed a penalty of Rs.3.30 lakh and Mining Foreman Aniruddh Singh Bhati lodged an FIR at Bajju police station." Following the raid, the education department sought an explanation from the school and subsequently constituted a three-member inquiry committee to investigate the circumstances under which the excavation was carried out. Chief block education officer Shishram Khichar said the school principal informed him that work related to a library was underway on the campus. However, Khichar said he was unaware of any government sanction, permission or departmental work order for construction or repair work at the school. He said the committee would ascertain the facts and submit a report. The mining department stated that gypsum excavated during digging operations was being loaded into a dumper when the joint team reached the site. Officials said that the excavation was linked to the construction of a toilet and a water tank within the campus. However, the education department's assertion that it had no knowledge of any approved construction activity has raised questions over who authorised the excavation and whether mandatory permissions had been obtained before digging commenced on school land. Circle Officer of Kolayat police circle Sangram Singh said, "Police had registered an FIR on the complaint of the mining department and would examine all possible involvement and procedural lapses, if any, during the investigation. It is a serious matter that government land, particularly that of a school, has allegedly been excavated." Authorities have yet to disclose the ownership of the seized JCB and dumper or identify the persons responsible for the excavation. It also remains unclear whether the work was being undertaken through a contractor, a local agency or some other arrangement....