Subscribe
National Green Tribunal, May 30, 2024, directed the constitution of a three-member committee to look into the complaint of encroachment of a reserve forest in Odisha, located in Akhupadar village, Ranapur tehsil in Nayagarh district. The panel would comprise district magistrate, Nayagarh; divisional forest officer, Khordha and senior scientist, Odisha State Pollution Control Board.
The panel was directed to visit the site and submit an affidavit within four weeks regarding the allegations raised in the original application.
An application alleged that some individuals were involved in the illegal encroachment, clearing of trees and construction of a farmhouse on reserved forest land at Akhupadar revenue village. The encroachers had also built roads within the reserve forest, constructed a farmhouse, dug ponds, and obtained lakhs of rupees in government financial assistance under various schemes, it was further alleged.
It was also stated that financial assistance was provided for a poultry farm and fish farming in those ponds within the reserved forest area. Additionally, a special subsidy was granted to the encroachers by the Nayagarh agriculture and horticulture departments for fruit farming.
The application also claimed hat forest land was blocked and trees were cut down, resulting in the destruction of the natural protected forest land due to the digging of ponds and other illegal activities. It was further alleged that departmental officers of Nayagarh district were involved in these illegal activities, as such actions could not have occurred without their knowledge.
The applicant also attached photographs showing the illegal encroachment of forest land, the digging of ponds, and other damage to the original state of the reserve forest in Akhupadar revenue village.
The record of rights were also appended by the applicant, showing that “land bearing Khata No 154, Plot No. 305, Ownership-Reserved, Type of Land-Forest, Area of Land-4.950 acres under Ranpur tehsil in Nayagarh district has been illegally blocked and encroached for construction of poultry farm creating serious environmental pollution inside the reserved forest”.
The court stated that the matter pertained to violations of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, and other environmental issues, and that the matter required consideration.
Following allegations of illegal mining and sand extraction from Damodar riverbed in Nafardanga Madanmohanpur, Bankura district, West Bengal, the eastern bench of NGT directed a three-member committee to visit the site.
The committee was told to submit an affidavit within four weeks regarding the allegations made in the application. District magistrate of Bankura will serve as the nodal officer for all logistical purposes and for filing the committee’s report on affidavit, according to the order dated May 29, 2024.
According to the application, illegal mining and sand extraction from the Damodar riverbed are taking place using mechanical devices such as earth movers from the southern part of the river.
The applicant and the villagers are facing serious environmental risks because excessive sand mining with mechanical devices has altered the river’s regular course, the plea stated.
The mining was causing erosion, further depletion of sand in the riverbed, deepening of riverbeds, and widening of river mouths, which increases the salinity of the water, it further alleged.
It was also claimed that the villagers' homes and livelihoods had been damaged, and they are concerned that if the situation worsens, their village will be flooded during the monsoon season.