Jajpur: Even as the state government has taken steps for protection of Jalasaya kisam (meant for pond) land, a private company is setting up a logistic park on 12 acres to Jalasaya and shala jungle kisam land in Jhakhapur mouza under Kalianganagar industrial complex in Jajpur. It is filling up two ponds with earth without any environmental clearance, a report said.
Saizer, the company developing the logistic park, has been accused of filling up two ponds as part of its proposed project without getting environmental clearance, but the revenue department is mum over it.
Kalinganagar Paribesha Surakhya Samiti had filed two cases against the company at the NGT. Following a directive from the NGT, a joint investigation team had made an on the spot inquiry in the second week of November and submitted a report to the green watchdog.
Meanwhile, members of the samiti alleged that there had been a desperate bid to alter the records of the land so as to tilt the case in favour of Saizer Private Ltd. The next hearing of the case will be held January 6.
It was learnt that without the permission of the tehsildar, earth and murram of over 50,000 cusec metre has been extracted from various areas and used for the logistic park.
It may be noted here that the NGT heard the case October 9, 2019 and issued a directive to Jajpur Collector, DFO and officials of the Odisha State Pollution Control Board for an investigation and to submit a report in three weeks.
The regional office of Kalingnangar SPCB, Cuttack DFO and Jajpur DM had visited Kalinganagar. However, the joint team of investigation in their report stated that there was no pond on the land.
It may be noted here that 11.97 acres belong to Shala Jungle kissam (plots- 865 and 867 of khata 419 in Jhapura mouza).
It was alleged that construction of the logistic park has been going on without environmental clearance mandated by the Forest Protection Act-1980.
The company was also accused of violating the rule related to water use as mandated by the Central Groundwater Authority (CGWA) as the company has not taken approval of the CGWA.
Such violation is contradicting various protective measures taken by the house and urban development department to protect jalasaya kissam land in January, 2018. A committee has been formed to look after it. The Collector has been its convener while some department officials are its members.
Manager of Saizer Pvt Ltd, Bikash Singh, said the company has taken land from IDCO as per legal provisions while no law related to environment was violated.
On the other hand, Pramod Kumar Behera, SPCB’s regional officer, said an investigation report about the land where the park is being developed has been submitted to the NGT.
“And necessary action will be taken only after the NGT order,” he added.
