Parjang: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has dismissed a plea to quash its earlier penalty order of Rs 5 crore in a case pertaining to illegal stone quarry at a mine near Jhilli village under Kankadahada tehsil limits of Dhenkanal district, a source informed Saturday.
NGT has, at the same time, retained the previous penalty order, which insisted the stone mine owner to pay the penalty amount without any further delay.
According to a source, locals had strongly resented against the illegal blasting, excessive cutting of trees and quarrying, severe pollution caused due to mining and the damages caused to houses near the mine.
Jhilli villagers had brought it to the knowledge of Mahabirod Revenue Inspector (RI), forest ranger and Dhenkanal district Collector, but to no avail. Some local social activists Shantanu Kumar Bhukta, Sukanti Pradhan, Sipra Pradhan, Premananda Pradhan and Shaila Pradhan had moved the NGT in this regard July 10, 2020.
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Based on the petition and subsequent order of the tribunal, a high-power committee was formed consisting Dhenkanal Collector and officials from forest department, Odisha State Pollution Control Board (SPCB), State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) and the Central Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to investigate into the allegations.
The Committee had then inspected Jhilli stone mine area June 25, 2021. Based on the committee’s recommendations, the NGT ordered the authorities concerned October 8 to collect penalty to the tune of Rs 5 crore from mine owner Chinmay Kumar Nayak.
Affected residents can also appeal before Dhenkanal Collector for adequate compensation against damages caused to their respective houses owing to illegal blasting, the tribunal maintained.
Notably, the stone mine owner Nayak had previously appealed before the NGT to review its penalty order seeking a relief.
PNN
